University of Richmond Athletics
University of Richmond
*Massachusetts
10-Run Seventh Propels Spiders To Atlantic 10 Win Over Massachusetts, 15-10
03/31/2006 | Baseball
March 31, 2006
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - The Spiders scored 10 times in the seventh inning to erase what was a six-run deficit, pressing on to top Massachusetts, 15-10, Friday at Pitt Field. The win, Richmond's fifth come-from-behind effort of the season, ups the Spiders' mark to 8-15 overall and 2-2 in the Atlantic 10. UMass falls to 2-12 overall and 0-4 in league, now having lost seven-straight. Richmond will go for the series win tomorrow, April 1, when they send freshman Ian Marshall to the mound. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.
Each starter looked to be in a pitcher's duel early, allowing a combined four baserunners in the first two innings. UMass cracked the scoreboard first in the third on a single to leftfield off Richmond's junior Rob Berzinskas. The Spiders answered back in the bottom of the inning when junior Vince Riggi scored on a balk by UMass' Chris Lloyd. Riggi reached with a one-out walk then moved to third on an infield single by sophomore Joe Mahoney.
A leadoff homer in the top half of the fifth broke the 1-1 tie for UMass. After getting a groundout, Berzinskas struggled allowing a single and three walks to the next four hitters before being relieved by senior Derek Duclos. Berzinskas ended his day with five runs on four hits, walked six and struckout two in 4.2 innings. With the bases loaded, Duclos allowed three-straight basehits, all run-scoring, helping the Minutemen to a 7-1 lead before the inning ended.
Richmond came right back in its half of the fifth to push four across on three-straight walks and a run-scoring double-play groundout. Duclos settled in after the first hitter in the sixth doubled. The Exton, Pa., native fanned two of the next three to end the sixth and strand the runner.
A sac-fly off Duclos in the seventh pushed the UMass lead to 8-5, but it didn't take long for the Spiders' bats to come alive. Duclos finished the night picking up the win with 2.1 innings of work. He allowed three runs on five hits and a walk, while striking out two.
Richmond loaded the bases with no outs in the seventh, before sophomore Hank Coogan pushed a run across with a sac-fly. Junior Matt McKenna followed by reaching on an error, which opened the hit parade. Richmond rattled off hits in five of the next six at-bats, plating six more runs for a 12-7 lead. The inning was not over until Coogan garnered his second RBI, and McKenna singled to score two more. Junior Alex Wotring provided the game-tying RBI in a pinch-hitting role, while senior Ben Zeskind was responsible for the go-ahead RBI all in the seventh.
Freshman Kyle Leith came on in the eighth and got the first two he faced to groundout. A groundball by the third hitter of the inning resulted in an error which cost the Spiders' two runs. The next hitter launched a two-run homer to left, making the score 15-10. Leith got the next hitter to groundout then retired three in order in the ninth to preserve the 15-10 win.
Richmond and UMass resume the three-game set tomorrow, April 1, at Pitt Field. Freshman Ian Marshall will go for the Spiders opposite Rory McDonald for the Minutemen. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.
Game Notes:
-- Freshman Cameron Brown extended his hit streak to nine games with a 1-for-3 effort. The Troy, N.Y., native also has driven in multiple runs in each of the last three games.
-- Sophomore Joe Mahoney extended his hit streak to seven-straight. The Troy, N.Y., native also legged out another infield single marking the eighth time this season he has reached on a ball hit in the infield.
-- The six-run come-from-behind effort ties the largest deficit overcome for the Spiders in a win this season. Richmond came from six down against Delaware, Feb. 25, in the 8th inning to win 10-9. It is the largest deficit overcome by the Spiders through seven-innings this season.
-- The 10-run seventh inning marked the most single-inning runs scored by the Spiders in 2006. Richmond is now 4-0 in games they have scored six-or-more runs in one inning.
-- Freshman Victor Croglio ended the day 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. His three-hits mark a career-high.
-- Senior Derek Duclos logged his first win of the season.
-- Junior Vince Riggi tied a career high scoring three runs in tonight's game. The Saratoga Springs, N.Y., native finished the evening 2-for-4 with two runs and two driven in.
