Baseball
Baseball Overtaken By No. 11 Richmond, 9-8
April 5, 2003
RICHMOND, Va. - The Rhode Island baseball team scored three runs in the top of the seventh inning to take a 8-7 lead, but Richmond's Jim Fasano hit a walk-off two-run double to give the No. 11/15 (NCBWA/SportsWeekly-ESPN) Spiders the 9-8 win Saturday in the second game of a doubleheader.
The Spiders won the first game 10-1 and improve to 23-5 overall, 6-1 in the Atlantic 10. Despite getting to Richmond pitchers for 10 hits in each game of the twin bill, the Rams drop to 11-15, 5-3 in the Atlantic 10.
Freshman designated hitter Adam Houston (East Greenwich, R.I.) hit a three-run home run in the first inning and junior Dan Batz (Mohnton, Pa.) had an RBI single as the Rams jumped out to an early 4-0 lead. After Richmond scored two runs in the bottom of the first, Rhode Island added a run in the second inning on a RBI-single by freshman second baseman Wayne Russo (Warwick, R.I.). Russo went 2-for-3 on the day with two runs scored and a RBI.
Richmond scored three runs in the bottom of the second to tie the game and added a run in the third and fourth to take a 7-5 lead. But the Rams took the lead back with a three-run seventh inning.
Freshman right fielder Andy Cravenho (Vernon, Conn.) and freshman catcher Josh Nestor (Nashua, N.H.) hit back-to-back singles to open the inning. Wayne Russo drew a walk to load the bases and then Batz reached on an error by the pitcher, scoring Cravenho. Sophomore left fielder Matt Sullivan (Nashua, N.H.) hit a RBI infield single to third base that tied the game at 7-7. Russo then scored on a wild pitch to give the Rams an 8-7 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh.
With Richmond down to their last three outs, the first two batters reached base on consecutive hit-by-pitches, and Fasano followed with the walk-off double to give the Spiders the win.
Nestor finished 2-for-3 with a run scored.
The Rams got to Richmond's No. 2 starter Jason Bolinski for seven hits and five runs (all earned), before he was pulled after just two innings of work.
The Rams and Spiders wrap-up the three-game series Sunday with a single game at noon. The Live Play-By-Play is available here at www.GoRhody.com.
