University of Richmond Athletics
University of Richmond
Princeton
Richmond Baseball Sweeps Doubleheader Against Princeton
03/06/2005 | Baseball
March 6, 2005
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - The University of Richmond baseball team used a come-from-behind effort and fended off a rally to sweep a non-conference doubleheader Sunday against the Princeton at Pitt Field. The Spiders took the first game, 7-6, using their third come-from-behind effort of the season then finished off the sweep with a 2-1 win in the nightcap.
The two wins push Richmond back over .500 for the season with a mark of 5-4. Princeton, which opened its season this weekend, fell to 0-2 with the losses.
GAME 1
Princeton took an early 2-0 lead in the second when Ryan Eldridge pushed a high fly over the rightfield wall and was followed later in the inning by Paul Ackerman's solo shot to right. Junior pitcher Ja Jones, who finished his day by allowing six runs (three earned) on four hits, gave up four homeruns, but did not figure in the decision.
Eldridge came to the plate in the third and lifted his second consecutive homerun over the rightfield wall to drive in a total of three, putting the Tigers up 5-0. After a sixth inning which saw another Princeton player hit a homerun, the Spiders started to chip away by posting four in their half of the sixth.
Sophomore Vince Riggi got on with one out after striking out on a wild pitch. A ground ball off the bat of freshman Alex Hale looked to be turned into a double play, but Riggi ended the squence at third after an errant throw from the Tiger third baseman. Freshman Austin Reilly delivered Richmond's first run of the game with a single to left to drive in Riggi from third. Freshman pinch hitter Drew Poiter put the ball in play and garnered an RBI for Richmond's second run of the inning. After loading the bases, sophomore Matt McKenna walked to drive in a run and was followed by junior Andrew Justice, who pushed the fourth Richmond run across on a bases-loaded single to the left side.
Riggi doubled to lead off the seventh for Richmond after Princeton failed to score in its half of the inning. A single and throwing error by the Princeton third baseman put runners at second and third with no outs, giving Poiter another chance for a RBI. He delivered with a two-run double to left center, knotting the game at 6-6. Freshman David Solan came on in the top of the eighth to record two outs. Then with a runner at third the Spiders opted to bring in senior John Cronin. After an intentional walk, Cronin forced a pop-up on the infield to end the inning.
Richmond and Justice opened the bottom of the eighth with the first triple of the season. After a groundout, Riggi came to the plate and poked a shallow fly ball to leftfield for the sacrifice fly to put Richmond up by one. Cronin finished off the top half of the ninth by retiring three of the four he faced to pick up his first win of the season.
Game Notes
- Junior Andrew Justice triple in the eighth was the first of the season for the Spiders and the first of his career.
- Freshman Drew Poiter finished the game with a career-high three RBI after being inserted as a pinch-hitter in the sixth.
- The come-from-behind win was Richmond's third of the season.
- The Spiders are now 2-1 in one-run games.
- Richmond moved its record to 3-1 in games following a loss.
GAME 2
Sophomore Rob Berzinskas stole the show in the nightcap, picking up his first win of the season after working six innings. The righthander allowed one run on six hits and fanned five in his third start of the year.
Richmond helped Berzinskas get a lead in the third when Justice doubled to centerfield with two outs and runner at third. The Spiders then added an insurance run which proved to be difference in the bottom of the fourth. Riggi doubled to lead off the inning and later scored on a single to right center from Poiter.
Princeton pushed its only run across in the sixth when Eldridge singled to center with runners at first and second. Berzinskas was able to get out of the inning by striking out the next hitter, stranding two Tigers.
Cronin made his second appearance of the day in top half of the seventh to garner his second save of the season. The closer retired the first two he faced then gave up a single to left before getting Princeton's fourth hitter of the inning to groundout.
Richmond will continue its homestand this week when it entertains Old Dominion Tuesday, March 8, at 2:30 p.m. Two day's later city bragging rights will be on the line when the Spiders and Rams of VCU open their four-game set at Pitt Field Thursday afternoon at 2:30 p.m.
Game Notes
- Senior John Cronin picked up his second save of the season. He has yet to allow a run in three appearances and a total of five innings.
- The Spiders turned two double-plays, marking the most in a single game this season.
- Junior Andrew Justice finished the game with multiple hits, marking the second-straight game he has recorded more than one base hit.
