University of Richmond Athletics
University of Richmond
*at Duquesne
Spider Baseball Splits Doubleheader At Duquesne
05/15/2005 | Baseball
May 15, 2005
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - Richmond's baseball squad lost game one, 4-3, but answered with a 9-1 win Sunday against Duquesne in Pittsburgh, Pa., to clinch a berth in the A-10 Championships. The Spiders, who join George Washington, Dayton, Rhode Island and Fordham already in the A-10 Tournament field, move to 20-28 overall and 12-8 in the conference with the split.
GAME 1
Richmond's Rob Berzinskas was dealing through the first three innings. After freshman Joe Mahoney got the Spiders a lead with his eighth homer of the season, a solo shot in the first, Berzinskas retired seven of the first 11 he faced.
The Spiders tacked on their second run in the fourth after a Duquesne error put runners at second and third with no outs. Freshman Alex Hale came to the plate and grounded into a double-play allowing the unearned run to score.
The Dukes answered with their first run in the fourth. Mike Grecco singled to lead off the inning then moved to second on a passed ball. Two-straight groundouts pushed the run across.
After the Grecco single, Berzinskas retired the next nine while Richmond posted its third run of the game in the sixth. Mahoney reached on a fielder's choice then stole second to put himself in scoring position with one out. After junior Andrew Justice struck out, freshman Ryan Metzroth singled to left field driving home Mahoney.
Richmond's hurler took the two-run lead into the seventh, but could not come out of it with a win. The Dukes posted three runs on two hits and an error as Berzinskas walked in the winning run after loading the bases with one out.
Game Notes
- The loss marked the first time this season the Spiders' have lost a game in the final at-bat. It also marked the first time Richmond lost after leading through six innings of play.
- Junior Ben Zeskind snapped a seven-game hit streak, but did reach base for the 45th game this season.
GAME 2
Freshman Stephen Owens gave up a go-ahead run in the first. After walking the lead off hitter, Grecco came through with a double to right which scored the run.
Richmond, which stranded a runner at third in the first inning, answered the Dukes' run to take the lead in the second. Sophomore Ben Zeskind singled to drive in his sixth go-ahead RBI of the season.
Owens went on to work the next five and earn his fourth win of the season. The righthander shutout Duquesne in his last five innings on just three hits while stranding six. He finished the contest allowing one run on six hits, walked four and struck out two in six innings.
The Spiders added another run in the third on a two-out single from McKenna to plate Metzroth. Two scoreless innings were followed by a four-run sixth and a two-run seventh for the 9-1 win.
Zeskind led the sixth off with a walk then Mahoney homered for the second time on the day. Richmond loaded the bases with two outs and White came through with a two-run single down the left field line.
In the seventh sophomore Anthony Sandstrom doubled down the left field line with one out and came around to score on an RBI-single from Mahoney. Hale then sent a single to left-center to score Mahoney who was at third after a groundout from Metzroth.
Freshman Brian Alas came on to close out the win by giving up two hits, but stranding both baserunners.
The Spiders will look for the series win tomorrow, May 16, when it faces the Dukes in the rubber-game at 11 a.m. in Pittsburgh, Pa.
Game Notes
- The win helped the Spiders clinch a berth in the A-10 Championships for the fourth-consecutive season. The conference championships berth is also the 17th time in the last 18 seasons a Richmond team will play in the conference tournament (including CAA).
- The Spiders notched their 12th come-from-behind win of the season.
- Freshman Joe Mahoney garnered his ninth multi-RBI game of the season and his 12th multi-hit game of the season.
- Freshman Joe White drove in multiple runs for the third time this season and the second time in four games.
