Baseball Sweeps Bowling Green Behind Cook's Home Run

Monday, February 25

Pitt Field

1:15 PM

University of Richmond

Bowling Green

Photo by: Keith Lucas

02/25/2019 | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Postgame with Coach Woodson and Justin Cook

RICHMOND, Va. – Junior first baseman Justin Cook (Virginia Beach, Va.) launched his second home run of the year in the bottom of the sixth inning to put Richmond up 8-3 over the Bowling Green Falcons Monday afternoon at Pitt Field. The Falcons made a comeback attempt in the ninth inning, but Cook's insurance runs proved to be the difference as Richmond completed the three-game sweep of Bowling Green with an 8-6 victory.

The Spiders improve to 6-0 on the season. The six-game winning streak to begin the season is the longest since starting the season 7-0 in 2009, and it's the longest winning streak of any point during the season since the third week of the 2016 season.

Eight of nine position starters tallied base hits in the victory over Bowling Green. Cook's 2-for-4 performance was the loudest as he connected on a three-run homer and an RBI double in the first inning. Sage Bruhl (Northbrook, Ill.) added a 2-for-4 performance and drove in two runs. Anthony Forte (Hoffman Estates, Ill.) added a hit, drove in two and scored twice.

On the hill, Lowell Schipper (Santa Monica, Calif.) started his second game of the season, going 4.0 innings, scattering six hits and allowing three earned runs in a no-decision. Garrett Aylor (Austin, Texas) got the victory, going 2.0 innings, allowing just one hit and striking out a batter. Kent Morrison (Herndon, Va.) earned his team-leading second save of the season, going 3.0 innings and striking out four hitters in the process.

Richmond jumped out to another lead in the first inning, the third straight game the Spiders scored in the opening frame. After a double play spoiled a lead-off single, Tyler Plantier (Poway, Calif.) and Forte drew walks before back-to-back RBI hits came from Cook and Bruhl gave Richmond the early 3-0 advantage.

The Spiders added to their lead the following frame, plating two more. Johnny Hipsman (Chester, N.Y.) and Daniel Little (Nicholasville, Ky.) started the frame with back-to-back singles and got moved over by virtue of a Jordan Schulefand (Parkland, Fla.) sacrifice bunt. Forte delivered with a single through the right side to plate a pair and put the Spiders up 5-0.

Bowling Green cut into the Spider lead in the top of the fourth inning, scoring three runs thanks to a bases-clearing three-run double from Ryan Johnston.

Richmond added to its lead in the bottom of the sixth inning. A one-out single from Plantier and a walk to Forte put a couple runners on for Cook who hammered the second home run of the year over the left field wall to give the Spiders a five-run cushion.

Bowling Green made a last second comeback attempt in the top of the ninth, scoring three runs thanks to RBI hits from Mike Malewitz and a two-run homer from Cam Daugherty but Morrison closed it down before the Falcon comeback could be completed.

Richmond is back in action tomorrow afternoon as it will head to Durham, N.C. for a matchup with the No. 22 Duke Blue Devils at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

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