University of Richmond Athletics
Baseball Falls To George Washington, 6-4, In 10 Innings
05/23/2002 | Baseball
May 23, 2002
RICHMOND, VA - Mike Bassett's two-run home run in the top of the 10th inning gave third-seeded George Washington a 6-4 win over top-seeded Richmond in the best-of-three Championship Round of the Verizon Atlantic 10 Baseball Championship at Pitt Field in Richmond, VA.
The Colonials (41-20) will have a chance to earn the Atlantic 10's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament with a win tomorrow. Game time is 2:00pm.
With two out, Richmond's (48-9) Andy Givens, who came on to start the 10th in relief of starter Tim Stauffer, walked Matt Krimmel before Bassett came to the plate. Bassett then sent his 17th home run to right field where the ball barely eluded the outstretched arm of John Cronin to give the Colonials the win.
Justin Orenduff came on in relief to earn his 10th win in 12 decisions. The freshman pitched three and one-third innings, yielding just two hits in the 10th inning. Givens sustained his first loss of the season and falls to 3-1.
George Washington jumped out to a 4-0 lead with a pair of runs in the second and fourth innings. Jeff Fertitta got the Colonials' first base hit of the day with a one-out single up the middle in the top half of the second. One out later, Anthony Raglani doubled down the left field line, scoring Fertitta. Joe Michalski followed with an RBI single to left to put the Colonials up 2-0.
The Colonials plated two more runs in the fourth. Vito Chiaravalloti's error enabled Bassett to reach first to start the inning. Fertitta drew a walk and the two were sacrificed to second by Chris Barry. Raglani grounded out to second, scoring Bassett and Michalski followed with a single to right to score Fertitta.
In the mean time, George Washington starter Greg Conden held Richmond to one hit until the fifth inning. In the fifth, Conden walked three batters - including Cronin and Bryan Pritz on four pitches apiece - before David Reaver doubled down the left field line to score Chris Dolan and Cronin to halve the lead, 4-2.
With two out in the bottom of the seventh and George Washington leading 4-2, David Reaver singled and Matt Craig tied the score with a two-run home run to centerfield. That brought an end to Conden's day. The junior threw six and two-thirds innings, yielding six hits, five walks, and four runs.
Stauffer, the Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Year, went nine innings for the Spiders, allowing four runs - two of which were earned - and five hits while striking out 12 batters.
