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Virginia Baseball Records 5-3 Victory Over Liberty
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April 23, 2002
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The University of Virginia baseball team recorded a 5-3 victory over the Liberty Flames in front of 369 spectators this evening at the UVa Baseball Stadium, home of Davenport Field. Liberty held a 3-2 lead in the top of the sixth inning, but Virginia rallied to score three unanswered runs to post a two-run win in a non-conference game.
Liberty took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning when Larry Wayne York singled and scored two batters later on a single by Kelly Knouse (coupled with a UVa error). However, Virginia answered right back with two runs of its own in the bottom half of the inning when Rob Newton (walk) and Kyle Werman (single) each scored a run. Newton scored on a RBI-single by David Stone before Werman scored a run on a RBI-single by Matt Street.
The Flames knotted the score at 2-2 in the top of the fifth inning when Erich Cloninger singled and scored two batters later when York drove him on a ball hit to second base that resulted in a Cavalier error. Liberty regained the lead in the top of the sixth inning when Steve Baker tripled to right-center field on a ball that appeared to get lost in the lights by two UVa outfielders, before he scored a run on a RBI-ground out by Marcus Maringola to make it a 3-2 contest.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Virginia tied the score at 3-3 when Robert Word doubled down the right field line, before scoring a run in the Cavaliers’ next at-bat when Mark Reynolds hit a RBI-double down the left field line. In the top of the seventh inning, UVa took a 4-3 lead when Werman singled (and advanced to second on the throw) to left field before scoring the eventual game-winning run on a RBI, sacrifice bunt by Stone. In Virginia’s next at-bat, M. Street drove in Scott Headd who singled to reach base with a RBI-single up the middle, giving UVa a 5-3 advantage. That would be all the scoring the Cavaliers would need as they held on for a two-run victory.
UVa starting pitcher Canon Hickman (4-4) picked up the win after going seven strong innings on the mound, allowing three runs (one earned) with a game-high four strikeouts. Alan Zimmerer picked up his second save of the year after pitching two hitless and scoreless innings in relief. The Flames’ Steve Horstman (3-3) took the loss after going 6.2 innings and surrendered five runs on eight hits to go along with three strikeouts.
With the victory, Virginia’s record improves to 22-21 overall, while the loss drops Liberty’s record to 21-18-1 on the year.
The Cavaliers will return to action on April 26-28 when UVa travels to Atlanta, Ga. to face the #14 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in a three-game ACC weekend series. Virginia will face Georgia Tech on Friday, April 26th at 7:00 p.m., Saturday, April 27th at 7:00 p.m. and Sunday, April 28th at 1:00 p.m. All three contests will be played at Russ Chandler Stadium on the campus of Georgia Tech. The Flames will return to action on Wednesday, April 24th when Liberty hosts the James Madison Dukes at 3:00 p.m. at the Worthington Stadium.
– UVa –