Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
William & Mary
Baseball Pounds William & Mary, Bradley Gets 100th Win
March 23, 2002 | Baseball
March 23, 2002
Box Score
WILLIAMSBURG, VA - Princeton broke out of its eight-game losing streak in a big way on Saturday afternoon, racking up 17 hits en route to a 14-5 win over William & Mary in the second half of a doubleheader at Plumeri Park. In doing so, the Tigers gave fifth-year head coach Scott Bradley the 100th win of his career.
Pat Boran (Sr., Pottsville, PA) and Ryan Reich (So., Ocean City, NJ) led the way for at the plate for Princeton. Boran was 3-for-6 with five RBIs and Reich was 3-for 5 with five RBIs. Ryan Eldridge (Fr., Stafford, VA) was 3-for 5 with three runs scored and Eric Fitzgerald (So., Bellaire, TX), Jon Miller (Jr., Washington, DC) and Eric Voelker (Sr., Hoboken, NJ) also recorded RBIs. Although he did not get the win, Jason Vaughan (Fr., Garland, TX) turned in a great performance for Princeton in the first start of his collegiate career. Vaughan pitched the first five innings and faced gout batters in the sixth inning, allowing just two earned runs on six hits, while recording dour strikeouts. Nathan Miller (Jr., Orinda, CA) came on in the sixth inning and came away with the win to move to 1-1 in the year. Miller stayed in through the bottom of the eighth, striking out three and giving up just two hits. Matt Sullivan (Fr., Milton, MA) closed out the game, giving up one walk and no hits in the bottom of the ninth.
The Tigers struck first when Voelker cranked a 1-2 pitch over the right field wall for his first home run of the season, and a 1-0 Princeton lead in the top of the second inning.
William & Mary took the lead with two unearned runs in the bottom of the third inning, but the Tigers came back with three runs of their own in the top of the fourth.
Eldridge got the inning going with a one-out single up the middle. Voelker singled through the right side and then both advanced to second and third on a wild pitch. Reich doubled to center to score Eldridge and Voelker, and then scored on a wild pitch for the third run of the inning.
Princeton would maintain that 4-2 lead until the bottom of the sixth inning.
Matt McGuire's single up the middle scored Trey Wakefield. Kevin Healy followed that with a single to right field that scored C.J. Stimpson, who had gotten on base with a double to left. Lentz's sacrifice fly to center scored McGuire for the Tribe's fifth and final run of the day.
The Tigers tied the game at 5-5 in the top of the seventh. Reich singled to center field and Mike Chernoff's (Jr., Livingston, NJ) sac bunt moved Reich to second. Chernoff got to first on the play as a result of an error by the pitcher. Fitzgerald singled down the left field line to score Reich.
Princeton did not stop there however, as the Orange and Black added four more runs in the top of the eighth and five runs in the top of the ninth.
Paul Ackerman's (Fr., Loncolnshire, IL) single in the top of the eighth bounced over the head of the first baseman and then Eldridge singled through the left side to give Princeton runners at first and second with one out. Voelker walked to load the bases and Reich singled through the middle to score Ackerman and Eldridge. Chernoff hit a blooper to right but Eldridge was forced out at second to give Princeton first and third with two outs. Boran lined a double to center to clear the bases and give Princeton a 9-5 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth inning.
The hit parade continued in the ninth. Adam Balkan (Fr., Roslyn, NY) got things going with a double down the right field line. Miller singled to score Balkan, and advanced to second on the throw. Ackerman walked and Eldridge singles to right to load the bases. Reich walked to score the Miller with the first run of the inning. Boran stepped to the plate and stroked a three-run triple to center field to give Princeton a 14-5 lead and the win.
The Tigers will conclude their spring trip with a game against the Tribe on Sunday at 1 p.m. Princeton will open its home and Ivy League season on Friday, March 29 at 11:30 with a doubleheader against Pennsylvania. The Tigers will host the Quakers on Saturday, March 30 at 11:30. Those games will be held at Clarke Field.