University of Richmond Athletics
University of Richmond
Va Commonwealth
Late Inning Rally Lifts Baseball To 12-11 Win Against VCU
04/30/2002 | Baseball
April 30, 2002
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - For the second consecutive game, the University of Richmond struck for two ninth-inning runs to earn a come-from-behind win against VCU at Pitt Field.
In an offensive shootout, Richmond (38-7) erased an 11-7 deficit with two runs in the sixth, a run in the seventh and two runs in the game-winning ninth. Sophomore Matt Craig singled to start off the frame and moved to second on a Vito Chiaravalloti walk. Both runners advanced on an Adam Tidball sacrifice bunt. Freshman Brian Ruscello was then intentionally walked to load the bases with one out.
Yesterday's hero Michael Galligan, who hit the game-winning home run in Richmond's 11-10 win at George Washington, rolled a slow grounder to second base that scored Craig. Sophomore Chris Dolan followed with a sharp ground ball that slid under the glove of VCU short stop Jose Pabon and into left center, scoring Chiaravalloti and giving Richmond's its second consecutive win in its last at bat.
Craig paced the offense going 4-5 with four RBI and four runs scored. He belted two homers in the contest to increase his season total to 13. Galligan notched his first career multiple-hit effort, going 3-5 with two RBI and one run scored. Ruscello stroked the Spiders' other multiple-hit game, going 2-4 with two runs scored.
VCU (29-18) worked its way to a 2-0 lead when Danny Lapoze drove a two-run single up the middle in the first. Richmond answered, as they would all game, with three in its half of the first. VCU scored again in the third, but two Spider runs in the bottom of the frame made the score 5-3 after three.
Both teams scratched runs in the fourth and fifth as the home squad led 7-6 after five. VCU damaged Richmond with a five-run sixth to take an 11-7 lead. Catcher Jeff Parrish delivered a three-run homer to left field to cap the barrage off Richmond reliever John Cronin. The freshman settled and held the Rams in check with three scoreless innings to earn his first collegiate win.
The Spiders closed to 11-9 with two sixth-inning tallies and Chiaravalloti's Atlantic 10-leading 15th home run brought the home team within a run in the seventh. The ninth inning heroics followed and VCU reliever Cla Meredith was saddled with the loss after allowing one run in 0.1 innings.
Richmond plays a home-and-home series against Liberty beginning tomorrow, May 1 with a 3 p.m. game in Lynchburg and returning to Pitt Field for a 3 p.m. contest against the Flames on Thursday, May 2.
