University of Richmond Athletics
Ruzbarsky's Homer Leads Blue To Fall Series Win
10/26/2011 | Baseball
Senior RF Phil Ruzbarsky homered and made a key diving catch in the outfield, leading the Blue Team to a 4-1 victory over the Red in the rubber-match of the Spiders' Fall World Series.
Blue jumped out to a lead in the series this past Friday, 3-0, thanks to a combined no-hitter from sophomore RHP Andrew Brockett and junior RHP Jolmi Minaya-Suriel, while Red forced Wednesday's rubber-match with a 5-4 victory Sunday.
Brockett again figured in the decisive game, pitching the final two innings Wednesday to close out a four-inning one-hitter fired by freshman RHP Ryan Cook.
With Cook rolling, Ruzbarsky sparked Blue's offense with his two-run bomb to right in the third inning and he made a highlight-reel diving catch deep in the right-field gap in the fifth to aid Blue's efforts.
Sophomore CF Nick Poulos, who was a sizzling five-for-seven in the series, tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the fifth with a two-run single that scored sophomore 2B JB Gadd and redshirt junior SS Adam McConnell.
McConnell was two-for-three Wednesday with a stolen base and scored twice.
Cook went four innings, giving up the no-hitter with a single to Chris Cowell in the fourth, and the rookie from Virginia Beach fanned four with one walk to pick up the victory.
Game One of the series saw the Blue jump out to an early lead, pushing three across in the second inning after loading the bases with one out. Poulos was two-for-three in the game with an RBI and a steal, while senior Ryan Mallory and freshman Ray Harron each had a hit in the winning effort.
But pitching ruled the series-opener as Brockett settled in after a rocky first inning to get a pair of three-up, three-down frames. The sophomore was credited with the win as he struck out four and walked one. Minaya finished up the no-hitter with two punchouts and two walks over the final three innings.
The Red bounced back in Game Two, with sophomore SS Mike Small and junior 1B Jacob Mayers leading the way offensively in the 5-4 win. Small doubled, walked twice and scored twice, while Mayers doubled three times and his RBI drove in Small to break a 4-4 tie in the fifth.
Sophomore Corey Moheit and freshman Joey Vecchione each had a pair of hits for the Red. Poulos paced the Blue by reaching base four times and scoring twice via a single, triple and two walks.
The Spiders' World Series caps their fall practice season. After reaching the Atlantic 10 Championship game last season, and welcoming 20 letterwinners back from that team, Richmond opens the 2012 campaign Feb. 17 at The Citadel Memorial Challenge.
