University of Richmond Athletics
University of Richmond
Lafayette
Spiders Rally To Beat Lafayette, Earn Sweep
03/07/2010 | Baseball
March 7, 2010
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND - Richmond scored six unanswered runs over the final four innings and came from behind to beat Lafayette, 10-7, Sunday and sweep the three-game series at Pitt Field. Junior Mike Mergenthaler's solo home run in the seventh inning was the game-winner for the Spiders, who have won four straight.
Mergenthaler's blast over the right-field wall gave Richmond (6-4) an 8-7 lead, and junior Billy Barber followed in the next at-bat with another bomb to tack on insurance.
A three-run blast from sophomore C Chris Cowell - his second long ball in as many days - tied the game in the fifth inning.
"That was a character win for us," said head coach Mark McQueen. "I have all the confidence in the world in our offense, and it was good to see us respond to adversity and come back the way we did."
Barber also pitched the final 2.2 innings of relief and picked up his second win of the week (2-0) after getting the decision over George Mason on Tuesday. Senior reliever Jay Joines pitched 2.2 strong innings in relief of starter Matt Trent.
"Barber was fantastic in finishing the game out," said McQueen. "But a lot of credit goes to Jay (Joines) for pitching strong out of the bullpen and allowing our offense to get back in it."
Richmond seized a 3-0 lead after the second inning, but Lafayette (0-6) struck for five runs in the third and scored twice more in the fourth off starter Matt Trent to open a 7-3 advantage - its first lead of the weekend.
With a runner at second at two outs in the fourth, Joines relieved Trent and fanned Alex Bechta to end the threat. The Leopards were held scoreless and managed just two hits after that.
Richmond mounted its comeback, getting one back in the fourth on an Andrew Lowry RBI single. In the fifth, Barber doubled and sophomore 1B Ryan Mallory walked before Cowell's third homer of the season tied the game at 7-7.
Although committing a season-high five errors, Richmond's defense came up big in the clutch as sophomore SS Adam McConnell made a dazzling play in the seventh inning to save two runs and preserve the tie.
With two in scoring position and one out, Lafayette DH Brad Weiss laced a ball that was headed towards left field, but McConnell dove to his right and stabbed the ball out of the air. He reeled in another liner to end the inning.
Barber and sophomore LF Phil Ruzbarsky each had two hits, while Mergenthaler's home run extended his hitting streak to nine games.
Richmond sweep of Lafayette was the Spiders first three-game sweep since the 2009 season-opening series versus Niagara.
The Spiders return to action this week with a two-game midweek set at High Point. Tuesday's first pitch is set for 6 p.m. Wednesday's game starts at 4 p.m.
