Feb. 26, 2005

Box Score

UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - The University of Richmond baseball team gave up seven runs on eight hits in the first game of a doubleheader falling, 7-3, to the Delaware Blue Hens Saturday, Feb. 26, at Pitt Field. The Spiders rallied in the second contest by outlasting Delaware, 2-1, to earn a split of the day's action.

The split evens Richmond's season mark to 3-3, while the Blue Hens move to 1-4 on the season.

GAME 1
Delaware posted two runs in each of the second and third innings to take a 4-0 lead. A lead off double by Bryan Hagerich in second was followed by two outs, but Richmond starter Brian Alas (2-1) gave up back-to-back RBI singles allowing The Blue Hens to take the lead.

In the third, Kelly Buber drove a solo shot over the rightfield fence and Hagerich, who walked later in the inning, scored on a throwing error by sophomore Matt McKenna.

The Spiders' first run came in the fourth when a string of three-straight base hits was capped off by an RBI-single from junior Andrew Justice. Richmond gave up two more in the top of the fifth and another in the top of the sixth, falling behind 7-1.

A rally looked to be in order in the bottom of the sixth. Richmond led off the inning with a walk by junior Ben Zeskind, who came around to score on a two-run single by McKenna. Freshman Alex Hale followed McKenna with a double down the leftfield line placing runners at second and third with one out. Two consecutive strikeouts ended the rally and sealed the 7-3 victory for Delaware.

Game Notes
- Freshman Brian Alas, who made his first career start, suffered his first career loss.
- Junior Ben Zeskind (1-for-3) extended an 11-game hit streak with a single in the fourth.
- Junior Andrew Justice's stolen base in the fourth was Richmond's first of the season.
- Sophomore Matt McKenna (1-for-3) extended a five-game hit streak with his two-run single in the sixth.

GAME 2
The Spiders were aggressive early in the nightcap by posting a run in the bottom half of the first. Zeskind (2-for-3) reached on a double to right center then moved to third on a wild pitch. Freshman Joe Mahoney drove him home by grounding out to third base.

Later in the third Richmond took advantage of a fielding error by Delaware third baseman Ryan Graham. Freshman Austin Reilly reached and moved to second on the Graham error. He then came around to score when Zeskind singled down the rightfield line for his second-straight hit.

Delaware broke up the shutout in the seventh when Richmond starter Ja Jones (1-0) allowed a lead off single, and after striking out the next hitter surrendered an RBI-double. Head coach Ron Atkins did not hesitate to remove Jones with the lead intact and bring in closer senior John Cronin.

Cronin proceeded to strand the Blue Hen runner and retire eight of the next 10 he faced. In the ninth he allowed a lead off single by Dave Harden, but Hale halted the ensuing steal attempt by Harden during the next at-bat. Cronin then fanned the next to hitters to record his first save of the season.

Richmond concludes the three-game set with Delaware Sunday, Feb. 27, with a single game slated for 1 p.m. Sophomore Rob Berzinskas (0-0, 1.80 ERA) will take the mound for the Spiders, who try to win their first three-game series of 2005.

Game Notes
- Junior Ben Zeskind now has hit safely in the last 12 games dating back to 2004.
- Senior John Cronin notched his first save of the season and the Spiders' first as well.