Feb. 21, 2009

Box Score |  Photos 

UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND - Ryan Metzroth and Mike Mergenthaler helped the Spiders break a 5-5 tie in the sixth inning, leading the Richmond baseball team to an 8-6 win over Niagara in the 2009 season-opener at Pitt Field Saturday afternoon. The second game of the doubledip was suspended due to darkness, with the Spiders leading 14-7 through four innings.

The game will be resumed Sunday at noon, with the final game of the series to follow.

Metzroth, a senior, was three-for-four in game one, with a homer, two doubles, three runs scored and four RBI. The sophomore Mergenthaler added three hits and three RBI, while redshirt junior Cameron Brown had three hits and scored four runs for Richmond (1-0).

Visiting Niagara (0-1) scored twice in the fifth to draw even at 3-3, then struck for two more in the sixth to even the game again, this time at 5-5. But it unraveled for the Purple Eagles with two outs in the bottom of sixth.

After reliver Matt Jordan retired the first two Spiders on six five total pitches, Brown singled and was quickly doubled home by Metzroth for the go-ahead run. Evan Stehle drew a walk and Mergenthaler followed with a double to the gap in left center, scoring both to give Richmond much needed insurance.

Timothy Crozier homered to lead off the eighth, but that would be all Niagara could muster off the Spiders' late-inning arms. Freshman Matt Zink fanned four in two innings of work to set the table for senior closer Brian Alas, who pitched the ninth and collected his 19th career save.

Richmond starter Ian Marshall went 4.2 innings and struck out six against one walk, giving way to Josh Horn, who was credited with the victory. Marshall allowed three runs on four hits, but left with the game tied at 3-3.

Metzroth got things started for Richmond early, launching a two-run homer to left in the first inning. The shot - his third opening-day homer in the last two seasons - hit the Spiderman mascot that hangs from beneath the scoreboard.

Stehle's RBI groundout gave the Spiders a 3-1 lead in the third and RBI doubles by Metzroth and Mergenthaler made a 5-3 game in the fifth.