May 2, 2009

Box Score

UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - On a sloppy afternoon at Pitt Field, in a game that was delayed nearly three hours by rain and lightning, the Richmond baseball team allowed Temple to score seven times in the fifth inning and suffered an 8-3 loss Saturday.

Freshman CF Matt Zink was three-for-four with two RBI and a run, while freshman SS Adam McConnell had two hits and swiped two bases to extend a pair of notable streaks. McConnell has hit safely in 14-consecutive games, and has swiped 11-consecutive bases without being caught.

But with the rain pouring down in the fifth inning, a 1-1 tie turned messy for the Spiders and junior starter Matt Zielinski. Richmond committed three errors in the frame - four in the game - and the Owls capitalized with seven runs on six hits to put a stranglehold on their 11th conference win.

Richmond slipped to 19-20, 8-12 with the loss, while Temple improved to 17-25, 11-8.

Temple starter Ryan Thomas took advantage of the lead and scattered six hits over six innings with two runs (one earned). Thomas weaseled out of trouble in the both the first and second innings as the Spiders put runners in scoring position in each frame, but couldn't drive them in.

Thomas improved to 4-3 and Dan Moller went the final three innings with four strikeouts and no walks for his second save.

Now with 26 steals this season, McConnell moved into a tie for seventh on the Spiders' single-season with Brian Jordan (1988) and John Dorman (1995) -- the single-season record at Richmond is 35 held by John Wagler (1998). The 26 thefts are the most by a freshman in the NCAA this season and the most at Richmond since Bobby LeNoir's 29 in 2003.

Richmond will look to take the series Sunday on Senior Day. First pitch is slated for noon.