Virginia Baseball Wins Season Opening Doubleheader with Navy

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Feb. 17, 2001

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The University of Virginia baseball team opened its 2001 season by beating the U.S. Naval Academy in a doubleheader this afternoon at the UVa Baseball Field. The doubleheader is part of a three-game weekend series with the Midshipmen and was the season opening games for both teams. UVa won the first contest 9-1 before taking game two by the score of 10-3.

In the first contest of the afternoon, the Midshipmen jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the fourth inning when Jake Miller (1-4) hit an RBI-double to score teammate John Cocca. But Navy’s lead was short lived, as the Cavaliers answered right back with an eight-run fifth inning of their own to gain control of the game.

Mark Rueffert (3-4, three RBI, two runs) started the inning off with a single to right field, before first-year DH/P Joseph Koshansky (1-2, run) singled to right in UVa’s next at bat. Chris Sweet (1-4, RBI, run) then hit an RBI-single to score Rueffert to tie the game at 1-1. Robert Word (1-2, run) singled to right field in Virginia’s next at-bat to load the bases for Shawn McCleary (1-4, two RBI, run), who hit a two-run RBI-double to make it a 3-1 UVa lead. The Cavaliers extended their lead to 4-1 when David Stone laid down a sacrifice bunt to score Word. Jon Benick (1-4, RBI, run) then hit an RBI-single to right field to score McCleary to make it a 5-1 lead before Rueffert hit a three-run homerun (UVa’s first homerun of the season) to give the Cavaliers an 8-1 lead.

UVa added another run in the seventh inning when Dan Street (1-3, RBI, run) hit an RBI-single to left field that scored Hunter Wyant (2-4, triple). Cavalier pitcher Brandon Creswell (1-0) threw a complete game after recording six strikeouts and allowing only one run on seven hits through nine innings of action. Navy’s Scott Vane (0-1) was dealt the loss after giving up eight runs on eight hits through four and two-third innings.

In the second game of the doubleheader, Virginia rallied from an early 2-1 defecit in the second inning to pull away for a 10-3 victory. The Cavaliers charge was lead by the trio of Benick (2-5, two RBI, two runs), McCleary (2-4, two RBI, two runs) and Rueffert (2-3, RBI, run), who each posted a pair of hits in the win. Benick and Word each hit home runs to record the Cavaliers’ second and third homeruns of the season, respectivley. The group of Eric Christensen (1-2), Andrew Riesenfeld (1-4), Stone (1-3, RBI, run), Street (1-4, RBI) and Word each recorded hits for UVa in the victory.

The Cavaliers’ Koshansky (1-0) made his pitching debut at Virginia in game two and came away with his first collegiate win after striking out seven batters and allowing two runs on eight hits through seven innings. Jeffery Kamrath gathered his first collegiate save in the victory. Navy’s Brad Defenbaugh was handed the loss after allowing six runs (two earned) on seven hits through four innings of play.

Navy committed a total of seven errors in both games, including five in the second game.

First-year head coach Steve Whitmyer, who was coaching in his first game at the Naval Academy, made his head coaching debut in familiar territory. Whitmyer returned to Charlottesville after serving as an assistant coach under current Virginia head coach Dennis Womack for the past three seasons at UVa.

With the victories, Virginia’s record improves to 2-0, while the loss drops Navy’s record to 0-2. Virginia and Navy will return to action on Sunday, February 18th to play the third game of the three-game series. The contest is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. and will be played at theUVa Baseball Field.

Game 1		1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9       R   H	ENavy	-	0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0	1   7   2Virginia-	0 0 0 0 8 0 1 0		9   12  0

WP- Creswell (1-0)LP- Vane (0-1)Save- None2B: Navy 2 – Cocca, Miller. UVa 1 – McCleary.3B: UVa 1 – Wyant.HR: UVa 1 – Rueffert.LOB: Navy 5, UVa 4.DP: UVa 1, Navy 1.SF: None.SH: UVa 1 – Stone.SB: UVa 1 – Benick.CS: Navy 1 – Candeto.E: Navy 2 – Woosley, Foster.Attendance: 222.

Game 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H ENavy – 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 3 9 5Virginia- 1 2 0 1 2 0 2 2 10 11 0

WP- Koshansky (1-0)LP- Deafenbaugh (0-1)Save- Kamrath (1).2B: UVa 2 – Benick, Stone.3B: Navy 1 – Mackes.HR: UVa 2 – Benick, Word.LOB: Navy 7, UVa 5.DP: UVa 1, Navy 1.SF: UVa 2 – Word, Rueffert. Navy 2- Cocca, Falkner.SB: UVa 2 – Stone, Sweet. Navy 2 – Cocca, Whitten.CS: UVa 1 – Rueffert. Navy 1 – Miller.E: Navy 5 – Miller (2), Guidos, Mackes, Deafenbaugh.Attendance: 177.