Oct. 20, 2008

RICHMOND - Aided by a second-inning home run from junior C Evan Stehle, the Red beat the Blue 2-1 on Monday in the first game of the Richmond Baseball Red-Blue World Series Pitt Field. The second game of the three-game set is Tuesday afternoon at 3:30 p.m.

Stehle's homer to left field to lead off the second inning triggered the scoring in what proved to be a pitchers' duel. Kyle Leith (Red) and Chris Cuppia (Blue) were each two-for-three in the game that saw Team Blue finish with two runs on six hits, while the Red could muster just a run on eight hits.

The game's four pitchers combined for 13 strikeouts against two walks, with sophomore Billy Barber picking up the win. Barber went three innings in relief of sophomore starter Billy Falasco, allowing a run on four hits with three strikeouts and a walk.

"I thought each team played with a lot of energy and enthusiasm today," said head coach Mark McQueen. "All four pitchers threw extremely well and our catchers (Stehle, Cowell, Conway and Pat Sandman) deserve a lot of credit for calling a great game behind the dish."

Stephen Owens was tagged with the tough-luck loss as his unearned run in the top of sixth inning snapped the 1-1 tie. He allowed three hits and fanned six (no walks) in his three innings in relief of starter Josh Horn.

Assistant Coach Chad Oxendine saw his Red Team take the lead for good in the top of the sixth thanks to Leith's two-out RBI that scored sophomore Mike Mergenthaler. Owens opened the frame with back-to-back strikeouts, but Mergenthaler ripped a 1-2 pitch to center. Barber reached on an error to keep the inning alive for Leith's, whose single to left on a 3-1 pitch stood as the game-winner.

"Defensively we played well with only one miscue," said McQueen. "And the encouraging thing about the offense today, even though we only scored three runs, was that 12 of our 16 batters had at least one hit a piece."

The second-inning homer to Stehle was the lone run allowed by Horn in his three innings of three-hit, one-strikeout work. Falasco started for the Red and pitched three shutout innings with four hits, three Ks and a walk.

The Blue Team drew even with its only run in the bottom of third. Ryan Mallory led off with a walk but was forced out at second on a fielders' choice by Chris Cowell. Bryan Conway laced a single to left putting runners on first and second with one out and after a Chris Cuppia fly out to right field, Cowell scored on a two-out, RBI single from freshman Phil Ruzbarsky.

Cuppia reached on a one-out single to center in the bottom of the sixth and final inning, but Barber sealed the win with a ground out and a game-ending strike out.

Game 2 is set for Tuesday afternoon with the third and final contest slated for Wednesday. Both game start at 3:30 p.m. at Pitt Field and are open for the public.