RAMS
EARN 12-3 WIN TO EVEN SERIES WITH ECU
box score
4-07-01
RICHMOND,
Va.. – Juniors Brian Gillespie (Grafton,
W.Va./Potomac State JC)and Chris Gerrity
(Midlothian, Va./Midlothian) each drove
in three runs to power Virginia
Commonwealth to a 12-3 victory over
20th-ranked East Carolina in Colonial
Athletic Association baseball Saturday
afternoon at The Diamond.
Gerrity finished the day with three hits
in four at-bats, while sophomore right
fielder Jose Pabon (Woodbridge,
Va./Potomac) had two RBI and tied a
school single-game record with three
doubles as the Rams (26-7, 5-2 CAA)
snapped ECU's 14-game winning streak
against CAA opponents dating back to last
season.
VCU, ranked 29th in the latest Collegiate
Baseball Divsion I poll, broke a 1-1 tie
with four runs in the bottom of the
fourth inning of ECU junior Jason Mandryk
(3-1). Sophomore third baseman Robbie
Gragnani (Richmond, Va./Mills Godwin)
started the rally with a two-out single
and advanced to third on Pabon's first
double of the afternoon. Gerrity then
slapped a base hit through the left side
to score both runners, and Gillespie
followed a walk to junior center fielder
Matt Davis (Colonial Heights, Va./Thomas
Dale) with a two-run double to give the
Rams a 5-1 cushion. Gragnani extended the
lead to 6-1 in the fifth when he singled
home senior left fielder Kevin Elrod
(Mechanicsville, Va./Atlee) with two out.
ECU (28-8, 7-1 CAA) trimmed the Rams'
advantage to 6-3 with a pair of runs in
the top of the seventh. Junior Lee
Delfino drew a leadoff walk and senior
Cliff Godwin followed with a double to
chase VCU freshman starter Sean Marshall
(Chesterfield, Va./Manchester). Delfino
later came home on an RBI groundout by
Kevin Grieve, and pinch-hitter Ryan Jones
delivered a single up the middle to plate
Godwin for the Pirates' third run. The
Rams then exploded for six runs in the
bottom of the frame off three ECU
pitchers to put the game out of reach.
Pabon delivered a double down the left
field line for the first two runs, and
Gerrity, Gillespie and junior shorstop
Joshua Arteaga (Homestead, Fla./Motlow
State CC) each added RBI hits during the
inning.
Marshall allowed six hits and three runs
over six innings to improve his season
record to 6-0, and senior Chad Baumann
(Lanesville, Ind./Floyd Central) three
three shutout frames to pick up his third
save as VCU avenged a 8-1 defeat to the
Pirates in last night's series opener. The teams wrap up their
three-game set tomorrow afternoon at The
Diamond. First pitch is 2 p.m.
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