Late Rally Too Much For Spiders In 8-3 Loss to UMass

Sunday, May 8

Pitt Field (Richmond, Va.)

10:00 AM

University of Richmond

25-20, 0

Massachusetts

14-22, 0

UMass

Richmond

05/08/2016 | Baseball

Box Score

By: Richmond Athletics

UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. – With less than a month until the 2016 Atlantic 10 Tournament, one thing is clear. The University of Richmond baseball team can compete with anyone in the league.

The Spiders have now won four of their past five Atlantic 10 series, despite dropping an 8-3 decision to UMass on Sunday in the series finale after a late rally by the Minutemen.

The Spiders were on able to capitalize on a great start by senior Dan Martinson, who allowed just two earned runs in seven-plus innings of work, while allowing just five hits and striking out three.

Offensively, Kyle Adams had another multi-hit day, finishing with two hits, two RBIs and a run scored, while D.J. Lee scored two runs for the Spiders.

“Our goal going into each weekend is to win the series and ultimately that's what we did today. Obviously, we would have loved to hold on today and pull out the sweep, but credit UMass with coming up with some big hits late to come away with the win,” Head Coach Tracy Woodson said. “Now our focus is onto a busy week with five games this week and it will definitely challenge our guys, but in order to win in the postseason, our guys have to be challenged.”

UMass jumped on the board early as Mike Hart hit a solo home run three batters into the game to give the Minutemen a 1-0 advantage.

Martinson would go to work, keeping UMass off the board for the next six innings and allowing the Spiders offense to get going.

In the bottom of the fifth, Lee drew a one-out walk and a batter later Adams laced a double down the right field line to plate Lee and tie the score at 1-1.

Two innings later, Lee once again started a Spiders rally, this time with a double of his own. Adams once again followed with a single to plate Lee, this time giving Richmond a 2-1 lead. Three batters later, Adams came around to score thanks to an RBI single from Doug Kraeger.

However, Richmond's lead would be short-lived as the UMass offense woke up for four hits and seven runs in the top of the eighth to claim an 8-3 advantage.

The Spiders would not be able to get any offense going in the final two frames as the Minutemen held on for the win in the series finale.

Richmond will return to action on Tuesday as they travel up to Harrisonburg to take on in-state foe James Madison at 7:00 p.m.. The Spiders will conclude the 2016 home schedule at Pitt Field on Wednesday when Coppin State visits for a 3:00 p.m. first pitch.