University of Richmond Athletics
Looking To Stay Hot, Baseball Hosts Iona For Three-Game Set This Weekend
02/26/2009 | Baseball
Feb. 26, 2009
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND - Off to its best start since the 2003 Atlantic 10 Championship season, the Richmond baseball team remains at home this weekend to host Iona College in a three-game series that begins Friday at Pitt Field. Friday's first pitch is set for 2:30 p.m.
WEEKEND LIVE LINKS
| GAMETRACKER | GAMETRACKER | GAMETRACKER• The Spiders enter the weekend a spotless 5-0, tying the start by the 2003 club. Richmond was 10-0 to start the 2002 campaign which ended in the school's first appearance in the NCAA Super Regional.
• Richmond needed some late-game magic to pull out its last two -- scoring four times in the top of the ninth to win at Longwood, 7-4, on Tuesday and then scoring five runs in the sixth to storm back and beat VMI, 10-4, on Wednesday. Already this season, the Spiders have won three times when trailing after the first and second innings.
• Senior RF Ryan Metzroth was tabbed the Atlantic 10's Player of the Week after batting .583 (seven-for-12) with two homers and eight RBI in the Spiders' weekend sweep of visiting Niagara. He posted an eye-popping 1.417 slugging percentage, a .643 on-base percentage, scored eight runs, had two doubles, a triple, walked twice and swiped two bases. Metzroth stayed hot versus Longwood, with three more hits and two RBI.
• Richmond's freshmen spurred a ninth-inning rally as the Spiders struck for four runs and beat Longwood Tuesday, 7-4. 2B Adam McConnell (pictured) singled in the tying run and pinch-hitter Pat Sandman scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch. McConnell scored twice and swiped two bases in the win.
• McConnell was four-for-four, with an RBI, stolen base and three runs scored as Richmond beat VMI Wednesday, 10-4, for the first time since 2004. The freshman infielder is batting .500 (eight-for-16) this season with two doubles, a team-leading five stolen bases and is error-less in 15 chances.
• Senior closer Brian Alas fanned the final two Longwood hitters to record his 20th career save (second this season), tying the school's all-time mark. John Cronin had 20 between 2002-2005.
• RHP Ian Marshall will toe the rubber in Game One, after throwing 4.2 innings with six Ks and one walk in the the Spiders' opener. He did not factor in the decision.
