University of Richmond Athletics
University of Richmond
Bryant
Richmond Tripped Up By Bryant, 10-4
03/11/2009 | Baseball
March 11, 2009
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - Visiting Bryant unleashed a six-run rally in the seventh inning to break a 3-3 tie and defeated Richmond, 10-4, at Pitt Field Wednesday afternoon. Sophomore Mike Mergenthaler and freshman Chris Cowell blasted back-to-back solo homers for the Spiders, who slipped to 9-2.
Junior 3B Cameron Brown stayed hot, going two-for-four to extend his hitting streak to all 11 games this season. Freshman SS Adam McConnell also collected two of Richmond's seven hits, which tied a season-low for the team.
The Bulldogs (6-3) jumped on Richmond with three unearned runs in the first inning, then got three strong innings of middle relief from Matt Griswold after the back-to-back homers by Mergenthaler and Cowell tied the game in the fourth inning.
Cowell's sacrifice fly put the Spiders on the board in the first.
Griswold pitched scoreless baseball and allowed the Spiders just two hits, while BU broke the game open with six runs in the seventh. Griswold got credit with the victory (1-0).
Richmond starter Stephen Owens allowed three hits and no earned runs over six innings of work, but left a 3-3 tie in the hands of the bullpen. Owens fanned four and saw his ERA dip to a team-leading 1.00.
Junior reliever Brian Farrell faced just one batter -- pinch hitter Dan Mello's walk to lead off the seventh. Mello eventually scored as the go-ahead run, leaving Farrell on the hook for the loss. Bryant kept its foot on the gas and two more Bulldogs reached, followed by Pat O'Connor's three-run home run to right field to highlight the decisive inning.
Four Spider pitchers followed after Farrell, but the league's leading offense had no-late game magic Tuesday. Richmond lost for the first time in 2009 when trailing after the first inning (3-1).
Richmond will look to take the series from Bryant Thursday at Pitt Field at 2 p.m.
