Baseball Downs James Madison, 5-4

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May 16, 1999

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Sophomore catcher Mark Rueffert singled pasta diving T Riley with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of theninth to break a 4-4 tie and give the University of Virginia a 5-4 victoryover James Madison the final regular season game of the campaign for bothteams. With the victory, the Cavaliers improve to 21-33 on the season,while the Dukes fall to 21-33-1.

Tim LaVigne led off the final frame with a single to left field andthen went to third two batters later when Julian Gonzalez singled up themiddle. After an intentional walk to David Stone, the Duke brought leftfielder Bryan Johnson into the infield behind second base, trying to cutdown the winning run. However, Rueffert laced a 1-1 pitch the other way andLaVigne trotted home from the hot corner.

Rueffert finished the day 2-for-5, one of three Cavaliers withmultiple hits on the day. Dan Street also had two hits, while LaVigne had ateam-high three hits. Rueffert, LaVigne, Street and Jon Metzger each hadone RBI.

LaVigne, who pitched a perfect ninth with a strike out, picked upthe win and improved to 2-3 on the season. Metzger started on the mound forthe Orange and Blue, allowing two runs on seven hits with six strike outsin six innings of work.

JMU got on the board first with a couple of runs in the top of thesecond. Virginia cut the lead in half with a run in the bottom of the thirdand then took the lead with two runs on two hits and a couple of Dukeerrors in the bottom of the fourth. Metzger pushed the UVa lead to two runswith a two-out double to left-center in the sixth.

However, UVa reliever Mark Hurrie surrendered two runs on two hitsand two walks in the seventh inning as James Madison tied the game andwiped Metzger’s name from the decision ledger. Tommy Keiper hurled aperfect eighth and LaVigne the ninth to set the stage for Rueffert’sheroics.

Brian Roll, getting his first career start, tossed five andtwo-thirds innings and allowed four runs, three earned, on seven hits withno walks and three strike outs. Ryan New (5-4) was the fourth JMU relieverof the day and took the loss. He struck out two in one and two-thirdsinnings, but allowed the winning run and four hits with the intentionalwalk to Stone.

Jon Benick went 0-for-4 with an intentional walk on the afternoon,putting an end to his career- and team season-long 12-game hitting streak.Stone, who had a hit, a run and two walks in five plate appearances,extended his hitting streak to seven games and has nine hits in his lastthree games.

Virginia will now turn its attention to the Atlantic CoastConference Tournament at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park in North Carolinathis week. The Cavaliers will enter as the seventh-seed and will play thesecond-seeded Wake Forest Demon Deacons. That game is scheduled for 5 p.m.in Wednesday’s second day of action at the 1999 ACC Tournament.

VIRGINIA 5, JAMES MADISON 4

JMU (21-33-1)   020 000 200 -  4   9  2UVa (21-33)     001 201 001 -  5  11  2

WP – LaVigne (2-3). LP – New (5-4). Sv – None.Metzger, Hurrie (7), Keiper (8), LaVigne (9) and Benick, Rueffert (6); Roll, Cornwell (6), Gouzd (7), Wynegar (7), New (7) and Razler. T – 3:08. A – 316.