University of Richmond Athletics
University of Richmond
UMass (A-10 Championship Series)
No. 18 Baseball Captures First A-10 Crown
05/24/2003 | Baseball
May 24, 2003
Video: Highlights & interviews from Richmond's A-10 Championship Game versus UMass
RealVideo | Windows Media
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - The Most Outstanding Player of the Atlantic 10 Championship, senior Vito Chiaravalloti (Middletown, N.J.), exploded for a 2-for-4, two-RBI, two-run day to lead the Spiders to their first A-10 title, their fourth league championship under head coach Ron Atkins. Richmond defeated Massachusetts, 7-4, to sweep the best-of-three series and earn the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Joining Chiaravalloti on the All-Championship Team are junior second baseman Bobby LeNoir (Wilmington, Del.), senior pitcher Mike McGirr (Lexington, Mass.), junior pitcher Matt McLoughlin (San Diego, Calif.), senior shortstop David Reaver (Union Bridge, Md.) and junior pitcher Tim Stauffer (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.)
The Spiders (46-13) raced to a four-run lead on five hits in the first frame. Centerfielder Bryan Pritz (Wilmette, Ill.) led off the game with a single up the middle. Designated hitter Ben Zeskind (Miami, Fla.) followed with another single, to right field. A-10 Player of the Year Jim Fasano (Horsham, Pa.) ripped a double into right-center to score Pritz. Zeskind then scored on a Chiaravalloti RBI single to left field. Fasano then crossed the plate on a Reaver RBI. Adam Tiball's (Bethesda, Md.) sacrifice fly finished the frame.
The Minutemen (26-19) responded to Richmond's 4-0 lead, scoring two runs in their half of the first, on a wild pitch and a Matt Reynolds RBI single to left field.
After a scoreless second, Richmond added another run in the third for a 5-2 lead. Tidball laced a double down the right field line to score Reaver, who had beat out a bunt single with two outs. UMass also added a run on a throwing error by Fasano and crept within 5-3 after three innings.
The Minutemen added another run in the bottom of the fifth, cutting Richmond's lead to 5-4. UMass threatened in the sixth as well, with the tying run on second and one out. Reaver snared a Frank Curreri line drive then beat the Minuteman baserunner back to second for an inning-ending double play.
Richmond opened up the game in the eighth and ninth frames. Chiaravalloti launched an opposite-field home run over the right-center fence for a 6-4 lead. Pritz followed suit in the ninth, ripping his fifth homer of the season, over the left field fence.
McGirr improved to 9-1 after striking out six while allowing only five hits in 5.0 innings. McLoughlin earned his second save, throwing the final 4.0 innings and not allowing a run. UMass' Keith Doherty (4-4) took the loss after giving up four runs in 0.2 innings.
The Spiders will wait until Monday, May 26 at 12:30 p.m. to find out where they will go for an NCAA Regional. This will be their second consecutive trip to the post-season, the seventh in program history. The Spiders captured the Regional title in Winston-Salem last year and advanced to within one game of the College World Series in their Super-Regional against Nebraska.
