BASEBALL
WINS 14TH STRAIGHT WITH TRIUMPH OVER
MONMOUTH
box score
3-18-01
RICHMOND, Va.. - Virginia Commonwealth
collected 19 hits as the Rams posted
their 14th straight victory with a 17-6
decision over Monmouth in baseball Sunday
afternoon at The Diamond.
The Rams' (18-5) current winning streak
is the longest since VCU reeled off a
school-record 18 consecutive victories
during its NCAA season of 1998, and the
win also improved the Rams' home record
to 14-0 this season.
Juniors Joshua Arteaga (Homestead,
Fla./Motlow State CC) and Joe Jackson
(Mineral, Va./Young Harris JC) each went
three-for-five to pace VCU's potent
attack, while second baseman Chris
Gerrity (Midlothian, Va./Midlothian)had
two hits and three RBI in the win. Junior
right-hander Doug Estep (Mansfield,
Ohio/Lurleen B. Wallace JC) improved to
3-0 after allowing three runs and racking
up seven strikeouts in six innings of
work.
The Rams took a 2-0 first-inning lead on
run-scoring hits by sophomore first
baseman Danny Lopaze (Lakeridge,
Va./Potomac)and senior Kevin Elrod
(Mechanicsville, Va./Lee-Davis), and
broke the game open with seven runs in
the bottom of the second for a 9-1
advantage. Jackson started the scoring
with a double which plated sophomore
third baseman Robbie Gragnani (Richmond,
Va./Mills Godwin), and junior center
fielder Matt Davis (Colonial Heights,
Va./Thomas Dale) followed with an RBI
single to put VCU up 4-1. Gerrity then
brought home Jackson and Davis with a
base hit up the middle to give the Rams a
five-run cushion.
Monmouth cut the Rams' lead to 9-3 with a
pair of runs in the top of the sixth, but
VCU scored four times in the bottom of
the frame, highlighted by a two-run
double by Arteaga, to put the game out of
reach.
The Hawks (1-11) were led by first
baseman Jeff Toth, who finished
three-for-five with three runs scored,
while left fielder Paul Grosso had two
hits and a pair of RBI in the loss.
VCU will next play on Tuesday when the
Rams travel to in-state rival Virginia
(12-8) for a 3 p.m. start. Monmouth
returns home on Wednesday to host Rutgers
beginning at 3 p.m.
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