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Princeton University Athletics
Richmond Takes Advantage of Tiger Errors, Rallies Late for Win
March 12, 2006 | Baseball
March 12, 2006
Box Score
RICHMOND - Six Princeton errors in the field allowed Richmond to erase an early four-run deficit and pull off a 12-10 win against the Princeton baseball team on Sunday afternoon at Pitt Field. The Tigers hit four home runs in the game, including two off of the bat of senior Andrew Salini, but the errors in the late innings were too much for the Tigers to overcome.
Princeton took the three-game series from Richmond 2-1 and is now 3-4 on the season.
Princeton jumped out of the gates with four runs in its first at bat on a pair of two-run home runs. With one out, junior Aaron Prince drew a walk to put one aboard for senior Andrew Salini's third home run of the series at Richmond. His shot to right field was also his fifth home run of the 2006 season. Richmond was able to get another out, but then senior Zach Wendkos singled to center field to put a runner on base for freshman Andrew Doupe. Doupe then connected with a pitch and deposited it over the wall in right field for his second home run in as many games.
Richmond bounced back in the bottom of the first inning with three runs to make the score 4-3. All three runs were unearned as two Princeton in errors in the inning contributed to the three runs crossing the plate.
Princeton reclaimed a four-run lead during its next turn at bat and made the lead 7-3. Freshman Derek Beckman hit a single with one out and then made it to third when freshman Dan Degeorge reached on a fielding error. Princeton then doubled through the right side to plate Beckman. Salini was intentionally walked to load up the bases for junior Sal Iacono. Iacono responded and singled through the left side to score DeGeorge and Prince and make the score 7-3. Things settled down from there through the fifth inning before Richmond chipped two runs off of Princeton's lead in the bottom of the sixth inning. Both runs were unearned in the inning as two more Princeton errors allowed Richmond to extend the inning and plate the runs.
Princeton gained one of those runs back in the top of the seventh inning when Wendkos second hit of the game landed over the wall in center field. The homer was the second of the season for the senior catcher.
Errors got the Tigers in trouble again in the seventh inning as Richmond pushed five runs across the plate to go ahead 10-8. Three of the runs were unearned and the big hit of the inning came off the bat of Joe While, whose two-out pinch-hit single with the bases loaded snapped an 8-8 tie and gave the Spiders their first lead of the game.
Princeton answered back immediately though as the Tiger bats bailed out their mistakes in the field. DeGeorge drew a one-out walk and although Richmond drew a pop-put to put two outs on the board. That brought up Salini who belted his second home run of the game, this one to left center, to knot the game at 10-10.
Richmond, however answered right back to plate a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to regain the two-run lead 12-10. Benji Marshall led off with a walk and went to second on a sac bunt. He scored on a Joe Mahoney single to put the Spiders ahead. A double by Alex Hale pushed Mahoney to third and he scored on Hank Coogan's single.
Princeton threatened in the top of the ninth as Wendkos led off with his third hit of the game, a double to the gap in right center, but the next three batters went in order and Richmond picked up the win.
Eight of the 12 runs Princeton allowed were unearned. Sophomore starter Christian Staehely allowed three runs, all unearned, in three innings off of three hits. Freshman Brad Gemberling threw three and a third and surrendered seven runs, only two earned on four hits. Sophomore Steven Miller allowed the final two runs and took the loss to fall to 0-2. Reliever Alex Hale picked up the win for Richmond.
Princeton returns to action next Saturday with a doubleheader at Western Carolina. The games will be the first of nine in nine days during Princeton's Spring Break. The trip also includes games at Davidson, UNC Greensboro and Navy.