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April 29, 2003
RICHMOND, Va. – Virginia Commonwealth’s Justin Mattison went 2-for-4 with four RBI to lead the Rams to a 5-3 win over the visiting Virginia Cavaliers on Tuesday night at the Diamond.
Mattison blasted a solo home run, his fourth of the season, in the bottom ofthe first to give VCU a 1-0 lead. Virginia tied the game in the third on anRBI single by shortstop Mark Reynolds, and then took the lead in the top ofthe fourth, 2-1, on an RBI groundout by catcher Scott Headd.
The Rams took the lead for good in the fifth, loading the bases on threeconsecutive singles by Danny Lopaze, Paul Swack and Eric Latura. Mattison then drilled a two-strike pitch from Cavalier starter Scott Morgenthaler into the right field corner for a three-runtriple and a 4-2 VCU lead. The Rams made it 5-2 later in the inning as aslow-roller by catcher Jeff Parrish got under the glove of Virginia third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, allowing Anthony Granato to score.
VCU’s pitching staff took over from there. Starter and winning pitcher MattPrendergast allowed three runs and eight hits in 6.2 innings. VCU right-hander Cla Meredith came in with two outs and the bases loaded in the seventh, and retired Zimmerman ona groundout to second.
Meredith struck out four and did not allow a baserunner in 2.1 innings ofwork, to pick up his fourth save of the season. Prendergast improved to 5-0on the year, while Morgenthaler dropped to 0-2.
VCU won its eighth straight game and improved to 34-10 on the season, whileVirginia fell to 26-18 with the loss.
UVa will return to action on May 9-11 when the Cavaliers host the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in an Atlantic Coast Conference series. The Rams next face Richmond tomorrow (Apr. 30) at Pitt Field at UR’s campus at 2:00 p.m.
— UVa —