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Virginia Baseball Falls to Western Carolina, 4-3
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Feb. 23, 2002
CHARLESTON, S.C. – The University of Virginia baseball team had its four-game winning streak snapped by the Western Carolina Catamounts after WCU turned a 3-1 deficit into a 4-3 victory in the Berkeley Electric Cooperative Challenge at Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park. Western Carolina’s Doug Meyers hit a solo home run to left-center field in the top of the eighth inning to break open a 3-3 tie to give the Catamounts a 4-3 victory.
Western Carolina jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Donovan Minero hit an RBI-single up the middle to drive in Ryan Shade to give the Catamounts a one-run lead. However, Virginia answered right back with two runs of its own in the bottom half on the inning to take a 2-1 lead when David Stone walked and Matt Street was hit by a pitch before each player scored a run. Stone scored on a throwing error by WCU third baseman Clint Ramsey and M. Street scored on a RBI-sacrifice fly to center field by Robert Word.
UVa extended its lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the second when Joe Koshansky doubled to left field and scored two batters later when Kyle Werman drove him in with a RBI-sacrifice bunt. The Catamounts cut the Cavaliers lead to one run at 3-2 in the top of the sixth inning when Alan Beck reached base on an error and later scored a run on a ground out by Meyers. One inning later, Western Carolina tied the game at 3-3 when Rod Goldston hit a RBI-double to the corner in right field to drive in Chris Davis, who reached base after singling to right field.
WCU regained the lead and held on to it for good in the top of the eighth inning when Meyers recorded the game-winning home run to give the Catamounts a 4-3 lead.
Western Carolina’s Seth Foster (2-0) pitched 7.2 innings and allowed three runs on three hits to go along with a game-high seven strikeouts in the win. UVa’s Shooter Starr (0-1) was dealt the loss after going 1.1 inning and allowed one run on two hits. The Cavaliers’ starting pitcher Chris Gale went seven innings and allowed three runs (two earned) on seven hits with a team-high three strikeouts in a no decision.
With the loss, Virginia falls to 4-1 overall, while the win improves Western Carolina to 4-1 on the year. The Cavaliers will return to action on Sunday, February 24th when UVa faces The Citadel. The contest is scheduled to begin at 5:00 p.m. and will be played at Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park.
— UVa —