Errors Doom Spiders In Loss To South Florida

Saturday, February 15

Jacksonville, Fla.

3:00 PM

University of Richmond

0-1

vs. South Florida

2-0

Richmond

South Florida

02/16/2014 | Baseball

Box Score

By: Richmond Athletics

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Richmond Spiders baseball team fell in its first game of the 2014 season on Saturday afternoon, 11-4, to South Florida at the UNF Best Bet Classic in Jacksonville, Fla.

Errors were the story of the game for the Spiders, as Richmond's four miscues led to 11 USF runs, 10 of which were unearned.

Sophomore Tyler Beckwith had a two-run triple, while junior Ryan Cook had a run-scoring double in the loss. Senior Cory Moheit and sophomore Doug Kraeger each had hits, while freshman Kurtis Brown had a RBI.

Out of the bullpen, sophomore RHP Peter Bayer had a solid season debut, tossing four scoreless innings of relief, striking out four while allowing just three hits.

After a scoreless first inning, the Bulls were able to take advantage of a pair of Spider errors in the second, plating five total runs, four unearned, to take a 5-0 lead over the Spiders.

Richmond responded in the top of the third, not allowing USF to pull away. With one out, both Mike Small and Tanner Stanley drew walks to get on for Beckwith. After a wild pitch moved both runners in to scoring position, Beckwith lined a 1-2 offering to the wall in right center, clearing the bases and cutting the South Florida lead to 5-2.

In the bottom of the third, the Bulls were able to plate another unearned run, chasing Richmond starter Dylan Stoops in the process. The Spiders had a chance to answer in the top of the fourth, but UR stranded a pair of runners, keeping the USF lead at 6-2.

The Spiders again threatened in the top of the fifth, closing the USF lead to 6-3 off a sacrifice fly from Brown. Later in the frame, Richmond had runners on second and third, but was unable to do any more damage.

Richmond continued to chip away at the South Florida lead in the top of the seventh inning. After Stanley led off with his third walk of the game, Cook lined a double down the right field line. Cook's first collegiate hit and RBI cut the USF lead to 6-4 headed in to the bottom of the frame.

Errors were again the story for the Spiders, however, in the bottom of the seventh. South Florida took complete advantage, scoring five unearned runs to push its' lead to 11-4.

Richmond was unable to mount a rally in the eighth or ninth and fell in the first game of the year to South Florida, 11-4.

After facing the host North Florida Ospreys later tonight, the Richmond Spiders will wrap up the UNF Best Bet Classic against in-state rival Liberty on Sunday. First pitch is slated for 12 p.m.