 BASEBALL DEFEATS
VIRGINIA TECH IN 11 INNINGS
box score
03-28-01
RICHMOND, Va.. - Junior second baseman
Brian Gillespie (Grafton, W.Va./Potomac
State JC) doubled home freshman Nick
Jones (Vinton, Va./William Byrd) with the
game-winning run in the bottom of the
11th inning as Virginia Commonwealth
earned a 3-2 baseball victory over
in-state rival Virginia Tech in Tuesday
evening at The Diamond.
Sophomore right fielder Jose Pabon
(Woodbridge, Va./Potmac) began the Rams'
11th with a base hit off Hokies' reliever
Pat Pinkman but was forced out at second
on a ground ball off the bat of Jones.
Gillespie then laced a line drive off the
right field wall with two out to end the
game and extend VCU's school-record win
streak to 19 games on its home field,
including 15 straight in 2001.
 Junior
Bo Acors (Mechanicsville, Va./Atlee)
threw four shutout innings in relief to
improve to 6-0 on the year for the Rams,
who upped their season record to 22-6
with the win. Junior center fielder Matt
Davis (Colonial Heights, Va./Thomas Dale)
led the offense with four hits in five
at-bats, while sophomore first baseman
Danny Lopaze (Lakeridge,
Va./Potomac)finished three-for-five on
the evening.
Virginia Tech (13-10) took a 1-0 lead in
the top of the first when senior
Christian Simmers reached on an error and
later came home on a sacrifice fly by
Addison Bowman. The Rams tied the game in
the fourth off Tech lefthander Joe
Saunders and took a 2-1 advantage one
inning later with the help of two Hokie
errors. Junior shortstop Joshua Arteaga
(Homestead, Fla./Motlow State CC) was hit
by a Saunders pitch to open the fourth
and advanced to third on a single by
Lopaze . Senior catcher Cory Bauswell
(Chesapeake, Va./Western Branch)then hit
a sacrifice fly to right to plate
Arteaga. In the fifth, Davis chopped an
infield single and reached third when
Hokies' first baseman John West threw
wildly in a steal attempt. Junior Chris
Gerrity (Midlothian, Va./Midlothian) then
drew a walk and initiated a double steal
attempt which allowed Davis to score when
Tech catcher Kevin Bice mishandled a
throw by shortstop Spencer Harris.
Virginia Tech tied the game in the top of
the seventh when Harris singled off
senior Chad Baumann (Lanesville,
Ind./Floyd Central), stole second, and
advanced to third on an errant throw by
Bauswell. Simmers then delivered a
sacrifice fly to send Harris home.
Freshman righthander Matt Prendergast
(Oakton, Va./Oakton) allowed just three
hits and no earned runs over 5 1/3
innings for VCU, while Saunders
surrendered just one earned run and
struck out six Ram hitters in eight
strong frames.
VCU looks to contine its home success
when the Rams begin a three-game series
with Colonial Athletic Association foe
George Mason on Friday. First pitch is 7
p.m. |
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