University of Richmond Athletics
University of Richmond
*St. Bonaventure
Richmond Baseball Splits Twinbill Against St. Bonaventure; Drops Series
04/03/2005 | Baseball
April 3, 2005
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - The University of Richmond baseball team split a twinbill Sunday at Pitt Field with St. Bonaventure, winning the first 4-2 and falling in the second 6-4 in 14 innings. The Spiders, who suffered their first A-10 series loss of the season, drop to 14-12 overall and 7-2 in the conference, while the Bonnies improve to 11-8 and 2-4 in the A-10.
GAME 1
The Bonnies struck first in the first with a two-out RBI-single from Matt Mardeusz. Joe Rizzo, who reached on an error earlier in the inning, came around to score from second on the play. The Spiders countered in their half of the first when junior Ben Zeskind led off the inning with a single up the middle. He moved to second on a balk then to third on a wild pitch. With runners at the corners, junior Andrew Justice hit a one-hopper to short, but Mardeusz misplayed it allowing the run to score.
Richmond took the lead in the second when Zeskind blasted a 1-1 pitch over the left-center wall for his first homer of the season. Freshman Alex Hale, who led off the inning with a walk, scored on the shot.
The Spiders posted an insurance run in the fifth when Zeskind doubled to leadoff the inning and later scored on a single from Justice to make it 4-1.
Richmond's starter, junior Ja Jones, allowed one more run in the Bonnies' half of the sixth when Jake New singled in Dan Bratys from third. Jones picked up the complete-game win to move to 2-1. The righthander surrendered two unearned runs on five hits, walked three and struckout two.
Game Notes
- The Spider pitching staff has allowed just two earned runs over the last 49 innings of play.
- Junior Ben Zeskind needed just a triple to hit for the cycle. He finished going 3-for-3 with two RBI and three runs scored.
- Junior Ja Jones worked the Spiders' second consecutive complete game to earn the win.
GAME 2
After St. Bonaventure posted a run in the second and three more in the sixth, the Spiders finally started to hit SBU's starter, Eddie Williams. Through 6.1 innings, Williams allowed only three hits, walked one and struckout four.
Freshman Joe Mahoney helped show Williams the door in his first start of the season when he hit a towering homer to right-center in the seventh. Freshman Drew Poiter reached on an error giving way to St. Bonaventure's Brian Pellegrini. Richmond ended the inning with the bases loaded and did not push another across after the closer came on.
The Spiders didn't give up, coming back to tie the game in the eighth with a three-spot. Zeskind opened the inning with his second homer of the day. Pellegrini walked freshman Joe White then recorded two-straight outs before walking Poiter. With runners at the corners freshman Hank Coogan drove in his first of the season with a single into left. A fielder's choice error loaded the bases for freshman Austin Reilly who drew an RBI-walk to plate Richmond's fourth run.
Neither team could mount a comeback over the next six. Richmond loaded the bases again in the 12th, but failed to score by striking out and grounding into an inning-ending double-play.
The Bonnies went ahead for the final time in the top half of the 14th when Damian Blakely led off the inning with a single to right. Bratys laid down a bunt, but Richmond's pitcher John Cronin tried to get the lead runner at second, who beat the throw to the bag. The Spiders went to their bullpen and Hale. The Omaha, Neb., native walked the first batter he faced to load the bases, then gave up a chopping single to left which scored two. Hale ended the inning by getting a groundball double-play, but Richmond failed to score in the bottom half, falling 6-4.
Cronin suffered the loss after working 5.1 innings of relief. He gave up two runs on five hits, walked two and fanned three. SBU's Cody Vincent pitched 6.1 innings of relief to pick up the win. The lefthander gave up just four hits and struckout seven.
Richmond will hit the road to face Towson Tuesday in a midweek contest. First pitch in Towson, Md., April 5, is set for go for 3 p.m.
Game Notes
- Richmond went to extra-innings for the fourth time this season and is now 3-1 in extra-framed games.
- The Spiders played 12-plus innings for the first time since taking Kent State to 15 frames, Feb. 29, 2004.
- Junior Ben Zeskind hit a homerun in the eighth, marking his second of the season and second of the day. He homered in the first game of the doubleheader.
