March 5, 2006

Box Score

UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - Trailing 2-0 in the sixth, the Richmond Spider baseball squad scored seven runs to take a lead and held on to top Yale, 8-6, Sunday afternoon at Pitt Field. Richmond, 3-7 on the season, has now won two-straight, while Yale has dropped its first two contests of the season. The Spiders will go for the series sweep Monday as senior Derek Duclos (0-1) will get the start in a game slated for 1 p.m. at Pitt Field.

A leadoff single in the second got Yale started towards its first runs of the game. After two-straight punchouts by Spider starter, junior Rob Berzinskas, Charles Bush doubled to center to drive in the Elis' first run. A fielding error by freshman shortstop Victor Croglio allowed the second run to score for Yale, pushing its lead to 2-0.

The Spiders cut the lead to one in the fifth when junior Alex Wotring doubled with two outs. Senior Ben Zeskind reached on a fielding error by the Yale third baseman, which also allowed Wotring to score from second.

Berzinskas continued to cruise through the Bulldog lineup, retiring 11 of the 12 he faced from the third through sixth innings. The Spiders then put together a solid rally in the sixth by scoring seven runs on eight hits and two errors. Sophomore Alex Hale led off the inning with a single then moved on a sac-bunt from sophomore Hank Coogan. Sophomore John Crone, who served as the starting fullback for the Spider football team in 2005, was one of five-straight to record basehits for Richmond in the inning. Wotring and sophomore pinch-hitter Joe Mahoney both garnered extra-basehits in that string.

After Berzinskas gave up a leadoff single in the seventh, senior Jason Bolinski was called on to finish the inning. Bolinski began his appearance by giving up a single, but retired the next two in order. With two out and runners at first and third, Bolinski gave up a hit which scored a run, but Croglio's errant throw on the play allowed another run to cross. Another hit and error, this time on junior Benji Marshall at second base, allowed Yale to score again pulling within three, 8-5.

The Spiders could not getting anything going in their half of the seventh and eighth, but freshman Kyle Damm limited the Bulldogs as well. Damm, the only southpaw on Richmond's staff, came on in the eighth and struckout the side. The Hamilton Square, N.J., native, who picked up his first career save on the day, allowed an unearned run in the ninth on a single, walk and a catcher's interference call. The lefty got out of the inning and finished the game by striking out the side again.

Berzinskas picked up his first win of the season by working seven innings, giving up three runs (two earned) on five hits while striking out a season-high eight. Damm garnered the save by surrendering an unearned run on one hit, walked one and struckout six.

Richmond will look for the three-game series sweep Monday, March 6, when it takes on Yale at Pitt Field. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.

Game Notes:
-- Sophomore John Crone made his first career start on the diamond, after serving as the starting fullback for the Spider football squad in 2005. Crone finished the day 2-for-3 with a run scored.
-- Junior Alex Wotring garnered his first career triple in the Spiders' seven-run sixth.
-- Richmond's seven-run sixth inning marked the most runs scored in a single inning this season.
-- The Spiders used their 10th different batting order in their 10th game of the season.
-- Junior Rob Berzinskas struckout a season-high eight and earned his first win of the season.
-- Freshman Kyle Damm struckout six in two innings of relief to earn his first career save.
-- The Spiders' 2-0 deficit was the largest it has overcome through six innings for a win this season.
-- Senior Ben Zeskind extended his hit streak to nine games, while freshman Cameron Brown has now hit safely in four straight.
-- Sophomores Alex Hale, Joe Mahoney and junior Benji Marshall and Alex Wotring all extended hit streaks to three games.