University of Richmond Athletics
University of Richmond
Duquesne
Metzroth, Owens Lead Spiders Past Dukes, 10-7, Friday At Pitt Field
04/17/2009 | Baseball
April 17, 2009
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND - Senior RF Ryan Metzroth launched a grand slam for the Spiders in the third inning and Stephen Owens fanned eight in five innings of work to lift Richmond past Duquesne, 10-7, Friday at Pitt Field. The A-10 series continues Saturday at 2 p.m.
Metzroth's blast - his sixth homer of the season - was part of a five-run third inning as the Spiders (15-16, 5-8) sprinted out a 6-0 lead. The senior finished the day two-for-five and pushed his team-leading RBI total to 31 on the season.
Freshman LF Phil Ruzbarsky also collected two of Richmond's seven hits and drove in a run in third inning.
Owens cruised through three innings with five strikeouts, but had his no-hitter broken up with one out in the fourth when Mike Tracy tripled off the top of the wall in right-center field. Tracy eventually scored to make it 6-1; then followed the next inning with a three-run homer as the Dukes (8-27, 3-9) carved the lead to 6-4.
Owens turned the game over to his bullpen in sixth after Andrew Heck led off with a double. Heck scored, but senior reliever Josh Horn worked three consecutive outs to minimize the damage.
A single by Mike Mergenthaler in the bottom of the sixth got Richmond the run back, but Duquesne answered again with a run in the top of the seventh, closing the gap to 8-6.
Richmond pushed two more across in the seventh when freshman C Chris Cowell, who walked to lead off the inning, scored on a wild pitch and freshman 2B Adam McConnell singled in sophomore CF Andrew Lowry.
Horn pitched two innings and junior Ian Marshall fanned two over the final two frames to preserve Owens' second win of the season (2-2).
Duquesne starter Ryan Juran lasted just 2.2 innings and allowed six runs (four earned) on three hits, but walked six Spiders in taking the loss (2-6). The Duquesne defense committed four errors behind its pitchers, while the Spiders played their seventh error-free game this season.
Prior to Saturday's contest at Pitt Field, the late C. Porter Vaughan -- a Spider Hall of Famer -- will be honored in a pregame ceremony.
