University of Richmond Athletics
University of Richmond
Virginia Tech
Baseball's Ron Atkins Wins 600th Career Game
05/07/2003 | Baseball
May 7, 2003
BLACKSBURG, Va. - Richmond head coach Ron Atkins earned his career 600th win after defeating Virginia Tech, 15-12. Seniors Vito Chiaravalloti (Middletown, N.J.) and David Reaver (Union Bridge, Md.) led the charge, both going 3-for-4 on the day. Atkins' 19-year record improves to 600-414-4. The Spiders improved to 40-9, while Virginia Tech falls to 30-17.
Along with Atkins, Reaver set the career hits record at 287 after his explosive day. He broke Mike Dwyer's previous record of 285 from 1996-99.
The Spiders took a 1-0 lead in the first after Reaver scored on a Ben Zeskind (Miami, Fla.) RBI single.
Richmond added to its lead with an eight-run second. Leftfielder Michael Galligan (Woodbury, N.Y.) and third baseman David Thomas (McLean, Va.) drew walks before second baseman Bobby LeNoir (Wilmington, Del.) loaded the bases after being hit by Hokie pitcher M.J. Hurley. Centerfielder Bryan Pritz (Wilmette, Ill.) then sent Galligan and Thomas home on a single to left field. Reaver followed, stroking a two-RBI single up the middle to score LeNoir and Pritz. The Spider shortstop then touched home on a Jim Fasano (Horsham, Pa.) single into right field. Chiaravalloti finished the scoring with a three-run homer to left field, which also scored Zeskind and Fasano for a 9-0 lead.
Virginia Tech responded, cutting the lead in its half of the second and third frames. Sheldon Adams stroked a solo home run in the second. The Hokies continued to add to the score in the third frame, stringing together five singles for four runs.
In the fourth, Virginia Tech added another three runs to cut Richmond's lead to 9-8. In the top of the fifth, Chiaravalloti ripped his second bomb of the day over the left field fence to give the Spiders a 10-8 advantage.
The Spiders added another run in the sixth for an 11-8 lead. Reaver stroked a two-out single into right centerfield and touched home on a Zeskind single into left field.
Chiaravalloti belted a double off of the left centerfield fence in the seventh. Thomas then ripped his first home run of the season to score Chiaravalloti for a 13-8 lead. The Hokies did not rest, putting up two runs in each the seventh and eighth to make it a one-run game at 13-12.
Richmond responded in the ninth with two more runs for a 15-12 lead. Fasano and Chiaravalloti drew walks and advanced to third and second on a Galligan groundout. Fasano then scored on a wild pitch. Chiaravalloti added the 15th and final run on a Thomas infield single.
Southpaw Tim Rice (Brookfield, Conn.) hurled the middle 4.0 innings to improve to 4-2. Rice fanned three before handing the ball over to righty John Cronin (Branford, Conn.) for his second save of the year. Virginia Tech's Hurley took the loss, falling to 2-3.
Richmond returns to action tomorrow, Thursday, May 8 at North Carolina. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m.
