University of Richmond Athletics
University of Richmond
Duquesne
Spiders Hold On To Beat Duquesne, Share A-10's Top Spot
04/21/2007 | Baseball
April 21, 2007
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - - Richmond exploded for six runs in the top of the seventh inning and held on to beat Duquesne, 10-8, Saturday afternoon in Pittsburgh, Pa. Vince Riggi and Matt McKenna each hit three-run home runs in the inning, while Alex Hale picked up his team-leading sixth win of the season. The win moved the Spiders into first place in the A-10 and clinched their fifth-consecutive A-10 series win.
Riggi stayed hot, hitting his second homer of the series and sixth of the season to score three in the top of the seventh. His shot over the left field fence gave Richmond (24-16, 12-2) some breathing room at 7-3. McKenna's third homer of the season, also to left, tacked on three more Spider runs.
The winning run came to the plate in Duquesne's Pat Kimutis with two outs in the bottom of the ninth and runners at the corners, but Matt Trent rolled a ground ball to 2B Benji Marshall to end it.
The Richmond win, combined with a Xavier win (over Temple) and Charlotte's loss (to Dayton), puts the three teams in a first-place tie. The Spiders, 49ers and Musketeers are all 12-2 in league play.
Riggi finished the day with two hits, three RBIs a walk and scored twice. The senior is four-for-seven with three runs and seven RBIs in the series. McKenna also had a big day at the plate, going two-for-five and driving in a career-best six runs. Alex Wotring was three-for-four and scored three times. Marshall had a hit and run scored, extending his hitting streak to 10 games.
Richmond starter Alex Hale held Duquesne scoreless over the middle four innings and worked himself out of big jam in the bottom of the sixth. After allowing a one-out single to Mike Carroll and a walk to Anthony Manley, he picked Carroll off as he was attempting to steal third. Hale fanned Brian Bernardo for his fifth strike out of the game and ended the threat.
Hale (6-2) went eight strong innings to record his sixth victory of the season. The senior, who is now 4-1 in the A-10, scattered nine and fanned seven with three walks. Three of the four runs were earned.
The Dukes (13-20, 4-10) jumped ahead with an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first getting an RBI single off the bat of Aaron Janusey. The Spiders would knot the score the next half inning, as Alex Wotring scored from third on a McKenna ground out.
Two runs by Duquesne in the bottom of the third put the home team back up 3-1. But the Spiders answered right back and used a two-run double down the left field line by McKenna and a Victor Croglio single to pull ahead for good, 4-3.
The teams play the series finale Sunday at noon ET.
