University of Richmond Athletics
University of Richmond
George Mason
No. 22 Baseball Defeats George Mason, 9-5
04/03/2002 | Baseball
April 3, 2002
FAIRFAX, Va. - The first five batters in the University of Richmond batting order all collected two hits in a 13-hit parade that led the No. 22 Spiders to a 9-5 win against George Mason at Spuhler Field in Fairfax, Va.
Junior Vito Chiaravalloti went 2-3 with three RBI and two runs scored and sophomore Matt Craig went 2-4 with two RBI and two runs scored to engineer the offense. Both Chiaravalloti and Craig belted homers on the windy afternoon. Bryan Pritz (2-5), David Reaver (2-5) and Adam Tidball (2-4) also collected multiple-hit games, while Reaver extended his hit streak to 21 games.
Chiaravalloti put the Spiders on the board first with his 10th home run of the season. His blast to left center gave Richmond a 1-0 lead in the second. The Spiders scored three more in the fourth to take a 4-0 lead. Sophomore Chris Dolan delivered a clutch two-out, two-run triple to center field and then came home on an errant relay from the George Mason second baseman.
The Spiders scored two runs after two outs in the fifth. Matt Craig belted his sixth homer of the season deep to center field. Chiaravalloti, 2-2 to that point, walked and came all the way home on a Tidball double to the left center gap.
George Mason scored its first two runs in the sixth to close within 6-2. Matt Cooksey led off the frame with an infield single and before Jeff Palumbo was hit by Mike McGirr. After a double steal, runners stood at second and third. Brian Anderson sacrificed home the first run and a Kevin McNeil bloop single to center plated the second run.
In the seventh, Richmond got those runs back off George Mason starter Stacen Gant. The top of the order stroked three consecutive singles to start the inning. A Craig single through the right side scored Pritz and Reaver came home on a Chiaravalloti sac fly - his second RBI of the game. The Spiders' third run of the frame came off reliever Grant Smith when second baseman Brian Ruscello sacrificed home Craig.
The Patriots rallied for two runs in the eighth on three hits. Cooksey singled and scored on a McNeil single and Anderson, who was hit on a 1-2 pitch, scored on a Mike Taylor double to center field. Both runs came off Richmond sophomore reliever Matt McLoughlin.
A Cooksey sacrifice fly in the ninth accounted for the final tally, 9-5. Cooksey finished the game 2-4 with two runs scored and one RBI. Third baseman McNeal went 2-4 with two RBI for the Patriots.
Spider starter Mike McGirr improved to 6-1 with a six-innning outing, allowing two runs on four hits. McLoughlin (2.0 IP, three hits, two runs) and freshman John Cronin (1.0 IP, one run, no hits) also contributed to the win.
Richmond returns to Atlantic 10 action this weekend at Saint Joseph's. The Spiders and Hawks begin the series with a doubleheader at Noon on Saturday, April 6. The third game of the set begins at Noon on Sunday, April 7.
