University of Richmond Athletics
University of Richmond
*at Rhode Island
Spiders Drop Doubleheader At A-10 East Division Leader Rhode Island
04/09/2005 | Baseball
April 9, 2005
KINGSTON, R.I. - Richmond managed just nine hits in two games Saturday in Kingston, R.I., dropping an Atlantic 10 doubleheader to Rhode Island at Bill Beck Field. The losses, the Spiders' fourth and fifth-consecutive, drop the team to 14-16 overall and 7-4 in the conference. The Rams improved to 10-14 on the season and remain atop the East Division of the A-10 with a mark of 6-2.
GAME 1
Rhode Island's Dan Frederick kept Richmond's bats quiet over the first four innings, while the Rams touched up sophomore Rob Berzinskas over the first three innings. Rhode Island got on the board in the first when Berzinskas gave up a solo-homer with one out.
After Berzinskas sit the Rams down in order in the second, he surrendered two in the third on another dinger, this one a two-run shot to left. Rhode Island extended its lead in the fourth by garnering five-straight hits to leadoff the inning against Berzinskas. After a fielder's choice, the Rams hit their third homer of the game, a three-run blast to left to make the score 10-0.
The Spiders threatened in their half of the third by getting the leadoff man on in freshman Alex Hale. An error on the Ram shortstop and a walk loaded the bases with two outs, but Richmond failed to take advantage and stranded all three.
Richmond's bullpen held Rhode Island at 10 runs over the last two innings. Junior John Richardson replaced Berzinskas and did not give up a hit, walked one and fanned one. Sophomore Lee Rattigan worked the sixth and struck out one of the four he faced, but did not give up a hit.
The Spiders pushed their only run across in the top half of the sixth when junior Andrew Justice and freshman Joe Mahoney led off the inning with back-to-back walks. After a double-steal and two strikeouts, freshman Austin Reilly hit a single deep in the hole at third to score Justice.
Berzinskas suffered the loss and fell to 2-4 on the season. The Clinton, Conn., native gave up 10 runs (nine earned) on nine hits, did not surrender a walk and struck out four.
Game Notes
- Freshman Alex Hale moved his streak of reaching base in consecutive games to 14 with a single in the fourth.
- Junior Ben Zeskind extended his hit streak to five games with a single in the fifth inning.
- Sophomore Rob Berzinskas has now suffered losses in his last two starts. The righthander has allowed 16 hits in 10 innings of work since facing St. Bonaventure April 2.
GAME 2
Richmond got off to a rocky start in the second game of the series, allowing Rhode Island to score more than one run in each of the first three innings. Junior starter Ja Jones lasted just 1.2 innings after giving up two in the first and three in the second inning.
Junior John Cronin came on to finish the third and proceeded to allow five runs on five hits and three walks in the third. Junior Wyatt Stewart spelled Cronin in the fourth, and finished the last three of the contest for Richmond giving up four runs on seven hits while striking out a career-best five.
The Spiders loaded the bases in the first with two outs, but again failed to score. Rhode Island's Zack Zuercher settled in during the second and retired 12 of the next 13 he faced. Hale extended his streak of reaching base in consecutive games in the sixth when he blasted the first homer of his career over the leftcenter wall. Justice followed with a single, but Zuercher fanned the last six to end the contest.
The Rams upped the final margin to 14-1 with three more in the sixth off Stewart. Jones suffered the loss for the Spiders by giving up five runs on five hits and four walks. The Brunswick, Ga., native fanned four in 1.2 innings.
Richmond will try to avoid its first Atlantic 10 Conference sweep in school history and the first conference sweep since dropping three-straight to VCU in the Colonial Athletic Association, May 5-6, 2001. Junior Derek Duclos will make his first start of the 2005 season in a single-game set to get underway at noon Sunday, April 10.
Game Note
- Freshman Alex Hale hit the first homerun of his career and moved a streak of reaching base in consecutive games to 15.
- Junior Ben Zeskind has now hit safely in the last six by garnering a single to leadoff the game.
- Rhode Island has now won the last four versus Richmond and holds a 4-3 advantage in the all-time series.
