University of Richmond Athletics
University of Richmond
#vs. Rhode Island
Spiders Fall For The First In The A-10 Championships, 8-3, Against Rhode Island
05/27/2005 | Baseball
May 27, 2005
DAYTON, Ohio - Junior Josh Nestor homered for the second time in as many days and right fielder Matt Sullivan hit a bases clearing double as Rhode Island moved within one win of its first-ever Atlantic 10 title after defeating Richmond Friday afternoon, 8-3, at the 2005 Baseball Championship.
Rhode Island (32-19) advances to Saturday's championship round against an opponent to be determined at noon. Richmond (22-34) will play an elimination game at 7 p.m. this evening against the winner of this afternoon's George Washington vs. Dayton contest.
After Spiders junior starter Ja Jones (3-4) retired the side in order in the first two innings, Nestor led off the top half of the third with his fifth home run of the year. However, Richmond answered right back in the bottom of the third on a two-run double by sophomore third baseman Matt McKenna, scoring freshman Alex Hale and junior Andrew Justice.
URI then struck for three runs in the fourth as Mike Rainville scored on a ground rule double by Nestor and a two-out single by leftfielder Daryl Holcomb brought around Nestor and sophomore Dave Savard. Nestor started the sixth inning with his second double of the game and later scored on Sullivan's clutch hit, giving the Rams a 7-2 lead.
"I made some adjustments in my swing last week to shorten things up and it's starting to payoff," said Nestor, who now had 10 doubles on the year.
Meanwhile, junior Zack Zuercher kept Richmond off the scoreboard from the fourth through sixth innings, during which he retired seven straight batters. Zuercher allowed three runs on eight hits over seven innings with seven strikeouts to earn his sixth win of the year.
"I think Zack toughed himself through those first three innings and Richmond was pumped up," Rhode Island head coach Frank Leoni said.
"Zack made some adjustments, went to some other pitches and to his credit, he reached back when he needed to and got things done."
Jones (3-4) gave up seven runs (four earned) on hits while walking five in 5.1 innings. Richmond junior centerfielder Ben Zeskind collected two hits on the afternoon to raise his hit total to a team-leading 75. Richmond will look to stay alive and earn a berth in the Championship finals this evening when it takes on either George Washington or Dayton. The Spiders were swept by Dayton the weekend prior to the A-10 Tournament in a three-game set, and topped GW Thursday, 10-3, in their second game of the tourney.
Game Notes
- The Spiders' loss sets a new all-time record for losses in a season with 34 (22-34).
- Junior Ben Zeskind recorded multiple hits for the second time in three games and also extended his hit streak to five games.
- Richmond trailed for the first time in the Atlantic 10 Championships when Rhode Island's Josh Nestor led off the third inning with a homerun.
- Freshman Alex Hale has now hit safely in six-straight dating back to the first game of the three-game series against Dayton.
