University of Richmond Athletics
University of Richmond
Delaware
Spider Baseball Drops Delaware, 9-3
02/23/2007 | Baseball
Feb. 23, 2007
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - The Richmond baseball team erupted for nine runs over the seventh and eighth innings to take a 9-3 win over Delaware Friday at Pitt Field, in the first game of three-game weekend series.
Due to rain forecast for Sunday, the two teams will play a doubleheader beginning at noon Saturday.
The Spiders trailed 3-0 in the bottom of the seventh Friday, but opened the inning with back-to-back singles by junior Hank Coogan and senior Vince Riggi. Two errors and RBIs from Chris Cuppia and Austin Reilly helped the Spiders tie the game at three. Then a six-run eighth, thanks in part to two more Delaware errors, gave the Spiders their first victory of the season.
"They helped us out a little bit there, but we helped them out to get them three votes," Richmond head coach Ron Atkins said. "It's good to get the first win, gives the kids a little more confidence."
Richmond junior Brian Alas earned the win, coming on with one out and runners on second and third in the sixth inning. Alas struck out the first batter he faced, then got the next to loft a pop-up to the mound, ending the inning.
"That was the key to the game right there, Alas came in and got out of the jam," Atkins said. "If they had gotten a couple of more runs there, that would have been tough to overcome."
Alas allowed two hits and struck out seven in 3 2/3 innings to pick up his eighth collegiate victory and the first of this season.
"He came in a tight situation, you can't say enough about him today," Atkins said. "He threw strikes, kept the ball down."
Richmond junior starter Alex Hale allowed five hits and just one earned run, while striking out eight in 5 1/3 innings. Hale allowed three runs in the sixth inning, due to consecutive Spider errors.
"We had another great pitching performance again today, that's two games in a row," Atkins said. "The defense was a little shaky, but we made the plays.
Richmond tied the game with a three run third after Coogan and Riggi opened the inning with singles. An infield error allowed Coogan to score and Cuppia hit a RBI-grounder to first that got by the first basemen. Reilly hit a sacrifice fly to right that tied the game 3-3.
In the eighth, junior Joe Mahoney doubled down the left field line to start the inning and sophomore Cameron Brown reached on a sacrifice bunt that advanced Mahoney to third. A fly to right field by Coogan went for an error, and scored Mahoney for what proved to be the game-winning run. A bases loaded double by senior Matt McKenna plated two runs, two more scored on an infield error and a groundout by senior Alex Wotring made it 9-3.
"We still have got to swing the bats better, but guys came off the bench and put the ball in play," Atkins said. "They made things happen."
NOTES: Vince Riggi has a five-game hitting streak and Joe Mahoney has hit safely in the last four games...this is the second-straight season that the Spiders' first win of the season has come against Delaware.
