Feb. 18, 2005

Box Score

CHARLESTON, S.C. - A six-run ninth helped lift the Spiders to an 11-7 victory over the Coppin State Eagles to move to 1-0 on the season. The Eagles drop to 0-5 with the loss. Richmond outscored Coppin State 7-2 over the last three innings to gain its first come-from-behind win of the season.

"I thought we showed great character today," head coach Ron Atkins said. "We didn't quit and got a couple of big at-bats when we needed them."

Sophomore Vince Riggi, who finished the game with a career-high three hits, put Richmond on the board in the top of the second with a solo homerun over the left field scoreboard.

"We took awhile to get started," Riggi said. "After the slow start we stayed together and pulled it out. This was really a big win for our young team."

The Eagles equaled Richmond in the bottom of the second on a sacrifice fly to center.

Richmond scored another run in the fourth on a sacrifice fly from freshman Alex Hale. The Omaha, Neb., native finished the day going 1-for-4 with three RBI after driving two in the Spiders' ninth inning come-from-behind effort.

After two Richmond runs in the fifth scored thanks to a Coppin State wild pitch, CSU put four runs on the board in the bottom half of the sixth.

Freshman Stephen Owens, Richmond's starter allowed only four baserunners prior to the sixth inning when he gave up three runs on four hits before leaving with two outs. Sophomore Brad Loveless came on with runners at first and third and fanned one to end the inning.

Trailing 5-4 in the top of the eighth, Hale came to the plate and put a ball in play which was booted by CSU's shortstop. Riggi, who was at second after his third hit of the game, scored on the play to tie the game at 5-5.

Coppin State rallied to post two runs in its eighth on three-straight doubles off Loveless. Richmond went to the bullpen and brought in freshman Brian Alas. The Port Washington, N.Y., native retired one to the end the inning.

The Spiders' half of the ninth opened with a walk and a double from junior Ben Zeskind to put runners at second and third with no outs. Junior Andrew Justice walked to load the bases before the Eagles' pitcher balked allowing a run to cross the plate. Another walk again loaded the bases giving Riggi the opportunity to drive in the tying run with a fielder's choice.

The Eagles' second baseman tried to flip Riggi's hit to the shortstop at second, but pulled him off the bag allowing Justice to cross homeplate during the play for the go-ahead run. Hale drove in two more with a single through the left side and freshman Austin Reilly drove in the sixth run of the inning on a groundout to short.

Alas worked the bottom half of the ninth and retired the side to pick up his first career win.

"This was a great win for us to begin the season," Atkins said. "This one will do a lot for our young team's confidence."

The Spiders are back in action tomorrow morning when they take on Old Dominion at Riley Park in Charleston, S.C. Junior Ja Jones will make his Richmond debut on hill for the Spiders in a game slated for 11 a.m.

Game Notes
- Sophomore Vince Riggi's homerun in the second inning was the first of his career.
- Riggi set a career high with his third hit of the game, a double in the eighth.
- Riggi's multi-hit game (3-for-5) is only the fourth of his career and the first since March 2, 2004 against Virginia.
- Three freshmen recorded the first hits of their career. Joe Mahoney (1B in the 4th), Drew Poiter (1B in the 4th) and Alex Hale (1B in the 9th).
- Junior Ben Zeskind extended a seven-game hit streak which dates back to the end of 2004, with a double in the top of the ninth.
- Sophomore Anthony Sandstrom recorded a multi-hit game (2-for-5) for the first in his career.