March 7, 2007

Box Score |  Photos 

UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - The Richmond baseball team got off to a 2-0 lead, but a three-run fourth inning helped Virginia Tech to a 4-2 victory on Wednesday at Pitt Field.

"It was a very good ball game," Richmond head coach Ron Atkins said. "We had decent pitching, but we couldn't get the key hit. It's the same story as yesterday at William & Mary."

Alex Hale pitched six strong innings, allowing five hits, three runs and two walks, while striking out eight. Brian Alas came on in relief, allowing one run and four hits in three innings. Alas walked just one and struck out three.

Richmond's Alex Wotring went 2-for-3, while Joe White had a hit and RBI and Hank Coogan went 1-for-3 with a run scored and RBI.

The Spiders took a 2-0 lead in the second inning thanks to RBIs doubles by Coogan and White. The Hokies came back with three runs in the fourth inning to take a 3-2 lead. That's how the score remained until Virginia Tech plated an insurance run in the ninth on a squeeze bunt.

"It seems like we are in a bit of a funk right now, we either get good pitching and no hitting, or good hitting and no pitching," Atkins said. "It's frustrating, but we'll figure it out."

Wednesday's game was the first of nine-game homestand for the Spiders. Richmond will host Yale in a three-game series beginning Saturday at 1 p.m. The second game is Sunday at 1 p.m. and the final game of the series is Monday at 2:30 p.m.