University of Richmond Athletics
University of Richmond
UW-Milwaukee
Baseball Falls To UW-Milwaukee, 5-2
02/24/2008 | Baseball
Feb. 24, 2008
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The Richmond baseball team dropped a 5-2 decision to UW-Milwaukee Sunday afternoon in the final game for both teams in the JU Invitational in Jacksonville, Fla. Hank Coogan was two-for-four and Alex Hale pitched 2.1 innings of scoreless relief, but the Spiders dropped their second straight.
Richmond (1-2) collected eight hits but shored things up defensively, going error-less after putting six on the scoreboard in last night's loss to Jacksonville. The Spider defense turned three double plays and picked off three Panther base runners.
Starter Rob Berzinskas, who missed much of last season with an injury, got the start and found himself in early trouble. But the redshirt senior was able to roll a pair of running scoring double-plays in both the third and fourth innings to minimize the damage.
The Panthers (1-2) drew first blood in the top of third, loading the bases with a pair of walks and a single before Jesse Hart grounded into 6-4-3 double play to plate the game's first run. A Josh Groves single put the visitors up 2-0.
"They got a couple two-out hits with runners in scoring position," said head coach Mark McQueen. "We didn't and I thought that was the difference in the ball game. We left eight guys on base."
Richmond chopped the deficit in half with a run in the bottom of the third when Mike Mergenthaler led off with a single, moved to second on a passed ball and scored on consecutive wild pitches.
Another run-scoring double-play ball gave the Panthers their two-run lead back and they extended it to 4-1 in the top of the fifth with the second RBI single of the games from Groves.
Hart factored in once again, putting UWM up 5-1 with an RBI single in the seventh.
Ryan Grant drew a seventh-inning walk and scored when Victor Croglio ripped a double to the gap in left center. Croglio's first RBI of the season made the score 5-2, but the Spiders would get no closer.
Reliever Jordan Herbert pitched a scoreless ninth to record the save. Starter Craig Meier, who came on in an emergency start because of an injury, pitched 6.2 innings to get the win. He scattered six hits and allowed two earned runs with six strikeouts to pick up the win.
"The kid (Meier) did a great job for them," said McQueen. "He wasn't supposed to start, but he did a great job of mixing up his pitches and keeping us off balance."
Richmond returns to action next week, beginning a six-game home stand at Pitt Field. The Spiders host William & Mary Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. Live streaming video and Gametracker will be available at RichmondSpiders.com.
