Baseball Downs Richmond 6-5
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March 31, 1999
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – A three-run seventh inning proved to be thedifference here Wednesday as the University of Virginia defeated theUniversity of Richmond 6-5. With the win, the Cavaliers improve to 12-18 onthe season. Meanwhile, the Spiders fall to 17-8.
Richmond built a 3-0 lead in the first inning, fueled by a two-runtriple off the bat of Mike Dwyer. The Spider first baseman finished the daya hefty 4-for-4 with a run, a walk and two RBI. Virginia began chippingaway at the lead in the fourth with a run on two hits and a Richmond error.The Cavaliers tacked on another in the fifth when Robbie Marvin singled inLuis Giraldo.
The Spiders then pushed their lead back to three runs with atwo-spot in the top of the sixth. Jamey Moylan and Craig Rutter both hadrun-scoring singles; however, Richmond had two men thrown out at home inthe inning. The Cavaliers put another run on the board in the bottom of theinning, setting the stage for the deciding seventh.
Luis Giraldo and Jon Benick led off the inning with back-to-backsingles. Marvin then laid down a bunt, which Richmond catcher John Nathanspicked up and tried to throw to third for the force out. However, his tosswas wild and Giraldo scored. A couple of sacrifice flies plated the finaltwo runs with the game-winner coming off the bat of Tim LaVigne.
Richmond made things interesting in the ninth, putting two runnersaboard. LaVigne shut the door, though, recording the final two outs for hissecond save of the season.
Neither starting pitcher figured in the decisions. UVa’s TommyKeiper last five and one-third innings and allowed four runs on eight hitswith two walks and six strike outs. Mark Fisher went four innings for theSpiders, surrendering one run on four hits with two walks and a whiff.
Brandon Creswell (5-3), who spelled Keiper in the sixth, notchedthe win in relief for the Cavaliers. He allowed one run on four hits withtwo strike outs in an inning and two-thirds. Bobby Basham, the secondRichmond relief man, took the loss after allowing three runs, one earned,on two hits.
Virginia played error-free ball for just the third time thisseason. Richmond, meanwhile, committed four miscues in the field that ledto four unearned runs.
Benick and David Stone each had two hits on the day for theCavaliers. Four other Wahoos had base hits and five different Cavs drove inruns. Nate Rewers had three hits and combined with Dwyer to produce morethan half the Spiders’ 12 hits.
Virginia will return to action Friday as the Cavaliers open athree-game Atlantic Coast Conference series with the seventh-ranked GeorgiaTech Yellow Jackets at 3 p.m. Richmond will return home Friday, opening athree-game Colonial Athletic Association series with the University ofNorth Carolina at Wilmington at 2 p.m.
VIRGINIA 6, RICHMOND 5
UofR (17-8) 300 002 000 - 5 12 4UVa (12-18) 000 111 30x - 6 8 0
WP – Creswell (5-3). LP – Basham (0-1). Sv – LaVigne (2).Fisher, Baker (5), Basham (7), Givens (8) and Nathans, Lamberg (8); Keiper,Creswell (6), Hurrie (8), LaVigne (9) and Benick, Rueffert (9). T – 2:45. A- 109.