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Virginia Baseball Falls To James Madison, 3-2
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April 1, 2002
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The University of Virginia baseball team dropped a close 3-2 decision to the visiting James Madison Dukes this afternoon in front of 414 spectators at the UVa Baseball Stadium. JMU turned a 1-0 deficit into a 3-1 lead before watching Virginia make it a 3-2 contest. With UVa trying to rally in the bottom of the ninth inning, a double play ended the contest and put the wraps on a victory for the Dukes as they won the first game of a home-and-home series with the Cavaliers this season.
After playing through four scoreless innings, Virginia scored the first run of the game and took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. Mark Reynolds doubled to left field before scoring a run one batter later when Chris Sweet reached base on a throwing error that allowed Reynolds to score from second base, giving the Cavaliers a 1-0 lead. UVa held its one-run lead until the top of the seventh inning when JMU took its first lead of the game at 2-1. After back-to-back singles by Kurt Isenberg and Brent Metheny to break up a no-hitter, the baserunners moved to third and second base, respectively. With two outs, Mitch Rigsby singled to drive in Isenberg before Metheny scored a run on a Cavalier error to give the Dukes a one-run lead.
James Madison extended its lead to 3-1 in the top of the eighth inning when Travis Ebaugh hit a solo home run to right field. Ebaugh’s hit and run scored eventually became game-winning marks. Virginia cut JMU’s lead to 3-2 in the bottom of the eighth inning when Robert Word hit a bases loaded single to shallow center field to drive in David Stone, who walked to reach base.
The Dukes’ held on to their 3-2 lead and in the bottom of the ninth inning with one out and a runner on first base, the Cavaliers’ Rob Newton lined into a double play to end the game.
UVa starting pitcher Joe Koshansky (1-2) took the loss despite going seven strong innings on the mound, allowing two runs (one earned) on just three hits with a game-high seven strikeouts. JMU’s Jared Doyle lasted 7.1 innings and gave up two runs (one earned) on five hits with a team-high six strikeouts. The Dukes’ Mike Trussell pitched 1.2 innings without allowing a run or hit to close out the game and gather his second save of the season.
With the loss, Virginia’s record falls to 16-13 overall, while the win improves James Madison’s record to 21-7 on the year. UVa and JMU will return to action on Tuesday, April 2nd when the Cavaliers travel to Harrisonburg, Va. to face the Dukes at 3:00 p.m.
– UVa –