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Baseball Crushes No. 23 VCU 14-1
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April 7, 1999
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – For the third time in the last five days,the University of Virginia knocked off a ranked team here Wednesday,defeating No. 23 Virginia Commonwealth 14-1. The game was called in theseventh inning due to the 12-run mercy rule. With the win, the Cavaliersimprove to 15-20 on the season. The Rams, meanwhile, fall to 25-8.
Virginia blasted 19 total hits on the day, one shy of theseason-high 20 hits the Cavaliers had March 20 against Duke. The 14 runsscored was also the second-highest run total of the season for Virginia.VCU, which had defeated the Wahoos 7-2 Feb. 14 in the final day of theWinn-Dixie Shootout in Charleston, S.C., was held to just two hits ontheday and scored its only run on a groundout.
The offensive barrage began for the Cavaliers in the thirdinningwith three runs on four hits and a Ram error. UVa tacked on three morerunsin the fourth in peculiar fashion. Designated hitter Jon Metzger, whohithis first-career home run Tuesday at Richmond, hit his second long ballinas many days with the sacks full. However, he passed Julian Gonzalez atfirst as the ball’s path over the fence was questionable. Subsequently,Metzger was called out and awarded a three-run single.
Virginia batted around in the fifth, plating six runs on fivehitsand another VCU error to extend its lead to 12-1. Robbie Marvin bouncedatwo-run doubled down the leftfield line to cap the scoring in theinning. Then Jon Benick hit a two-run double with two outs in the seventh toinvoke the mercy rule.
On the day, all nine Virginia starters had at least one hit andeight had at least two hits. Marvin, the only Cavalier to not get twohits,still reached base three times as he walked once and was hit by a pitch.Gonzalez and Michael Floyd each had a team-high three hits, whileMetzgerand Benick drove in four runs and three runs, respectively. Benick’s2-for-5 day extended his streak of consecutive games with at least twohitsto nine games.
Justin Martin finished the day 2-for-3, collecting the Rams onlytwo hits of the afternoon. Everett Cooper plated Jake Anthony, who washitto lead off the second, with a ground out to second.
Tommy Keiper (2-1) picked up the win for the Cavaliers, goingfiveinnings and allowing one run on one hit with one walk and three strikeouts. Jon Metzger tossed the final two innings for the Cavs,surrenderingone hit with three whiffs.
Bo Acors (2-1) was shelled for six runs, four earned, on 10 hitsinthree and two-thirds innings with four walks and five strike outs in thelosing effort.
Virginia will take a day off before opening a three-gameAtlanticCoast Conference series with Wake Forest at 3 p.m. Friday inWinston-Salem.
VCU will host a Colonial Athletic Association series with No. 21 EastCarolina this weekend.
VIRGINIA 14, No. 23 VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH 1
VCU (25-8) 010 000 0 - 1 2 2UVA (15-20) 003 360 2 - 14 19 1
WP – Keiper (2-1). LP – Acors (2-1). Sv – None.Acors, Shirley (4), Farkas (5) and Cooper; Keiper, Metzger (6) andBenick.T – 2:11. A – 264.