University of Richmond Athletics
University of Richmond
George Washington
Colonials Rally To Take Wild Series-Opener From Spiders
03/28/2008 | Baseball
March 28, 2008
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - Richmond sprinted out to an early 4-0 lead and led 11-9 in the sixth, but fell to George Washington, 15-11, in a see-saw battle Friday afternoon at Pitt Field. Freshman Andrew Lowry launched his first career grand slam for the Spiders, who dropped their first Atlantic 10 game of the season.
The Spiders struck for seven runs in the middle innings to seize the lead back at 11-9, but the visiting Colonials scored six unanswered and reliever Faison Choudhry allowed just two hits and no runs over the final 4.2 innings to pick up the victory. The game featured three ties and four lead changes.
Coming off a decisive 17-5 win at 15th-ranked Virginia earlier this week, GW improved to 13-9 overall and 3-1 in the A-10, while Richmond slipped to 11-13-1, 3-1 and has dropped two straight after six-consecutive wins.
Richmond was doomed by five errors, leading to seven unearned GW runs. Starting pitcher Stephen Owens was tagged four of those unearned tallies on six hits in three innings of work, while Jay Joines was pinned with loss after allowing six runs (four earned) on four hits in two innings of relief.
All three of Barber's hits were doubles as the freshman snapped a brief 0-for-8 skid and has his average back to .404 on the season. Fellow freshman Mike Mergenthaler had two hits to extend his hitting streak to a team-leading 15 games. Freshman Derek Boliek and redshirt junior Ryan Metzroth (two RBI) each had two of Richmond's 12 hits.
Four runs came across for the Spiders in the second inning thanks to RBIs from Barber, Boliek and Austin Reilly. It could have been more, but Hank Coogan was gunned down at the plate and Lowry was tagged out in a run-down, as both were trying to score with one out on Barber's double to the gap in right field.
After GW surged ahead 7-4 in the fourth, the Spiders answered right back with the equalizer in the bottom of the frame when Barber plated one and Metzroth scored two with consecutive doubles.
Chris Marsicano belted a two-run homer for GW in the top of the fifth to put the Colonials back on top, but Lowry's grand slam to right field in bottom of the inning gave Richmond the lead again at 11-9.
Back-to-back RBIs from Tim Reeves and Chris Holland tied the game for the third time, while Andrew Abokhair's double - part of a four-run seventh inning - put GW on top for good.
Abokhair finished with three hits and three RBI and Reeves also had three of the 15 Colonials' hits.
The series continues Saturday afternoon with a 2 p.m. first-pitch slated at Pitt Field.
