Spiders Battle National Champs To The End, But Fall, 8-5

Friday, February 17

Conway, S.C.

4:00 PM

University of Richmond

0-1

#11 Coastal Carolina

1-0

Richmond

Coastal Carolina

Spiders Battle National Champs To The End, But Fall, 8-5

02/18/2017 | Baseball

Box Score

By: Richmond Athletics

CONWAY, S.C. – To be the best, you have to battle the best and that's exactly what the University for Richmond baseball team did in its season opener against the reigning national champions, Coastal Carolina.

The Spiders went toe-to-toe with the champs, but the 15^th-ranked Chanticleers were able to put together a four-run home half of the fifth and timely pitching to defeat Richmond, 8-5, in the season opener for both squads.

Offensively, sophomores D.J. Lee and Daniel Brumbaugh each had three hits to pace a 12-hit attack for the Spiders. Junior Kyle Adams went 2-for-5 with three RBIs and one run scored, while senior Jonathan de Marte had two hits and an RBI on the afternoon.

On the mound, sophomore Jacob Lamb was outstanding in relief, limiting the national champs to just one hit over 3.2 innings of work, while allowing no runs and striking out five.

“I thought we saw some good things today, but you have to be able to catch the ball and play solid defense, especially against programs who are as good as Coastal is,” Head Coach Tracy Woodson said. “Best part about baseball is that we get another chance to compete again tomorrow.”

Richmond would be the first to threaten in the top half of the second when de Marte and Brumbaugh roped back-to-back singles, but CCU was able to escape unscathed to keep the game scoreless.

Coastal got on the board first in the bottom of the second pushing across an unearned run to grab a 1-0 lead.

The Chanticleers added three more over the next two frames to take a 4-0 cushion into the top of the fifth.

Richmond came alive in the fifth with RJ Watters reaching on CCU error and moving to second when Vinny Capra reached on a bunt single. Lee beat out his bunt attempt to load the bases with no outs for Adams.

Adams delivered by launching a bases-clearing double into the right field corner to make it a 4-3 game. de Marte followed by ripping a single through the left side to plate Adams and tie the game at 4-4.

As most good teams do, CCU would answer right away with a leadoff homerun in the home half of the fifth, followed by three more runs in the frame to make it an 8-4 game in favor of the Chanticleers.

Lamb would come out of the bullpen and do the job, silencing CCU the rest of the game and setting up the Spider offense for a rally attempt.

Richmond would put that together in the ninth when Lee ripped a one-out single into centerfield and Adams followed with a single of his own to move Lee to third. A wild pitch would score Lee to make it an 8-5 game, but the Chanticleers were able to get the final two outs to secure the win.

The Spiders return to action tomorrow when they take on the Aggies of North Carolina A&T at TicketReturn.com Field in Myrtle Beach. Game time is set for 11 a.m.