Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
Holy Cross
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Late Rally Falls Short in Baseball Loss to Holy Cross
March 13, 2011 | Baseball
RICHMOND, Va. (3/13/11) - A ninth inning rally fell short as the Princeton baseball team fell to Holy Cross 5-4 on Sunday afternoon at VCU's Diamond. Princeton entered the ninth trailing 5-0 and put four runs on the board but the game ended with two runners on base and Princeton down by a run.
Holy Cross built a lead with a single unearned run in the second inning and a four-run seventh. The big hit in that inning was a three-run homer from Holy Cross left fielder Nick Chiardello that at the time gave his team a five-run lead with two Princeton at-bats remaining.
Princeton made the game interesting in the top of the ninth as nine players came to bat and four runs scored. With one out, Andrew Whitner hit an infield pinch-hit single to drive in the first run and a second run scored when Jonathan York singled through the right side. Holy Cross got a second out on a fielder's choice but Nate Baird followed that with a two-run double to make the score 5-4. Matt Bowman then hit an infield single to put runners on the corners but Holy Cross reliever John Colella got John Mishu to fly out to end the game.
Princeton finished the game scoring four runs on 10 hits with three Holy Cross errors. The Crusaders scored five runs on four hits and there was one Princeton error. York led all Tigers with three hits in the loss, while Sam Mulroy had two.
Bowman took the loss although he only allowed one unearned run in five innings of work. David Palms was touched up for four runs over two innings and Matt Welsh tossed a scoreless eighth. Nate Koneski got the win for Holy Cross with seven three-hit innings. Josh Hauser was responsible for all four runs.
Princeton is now 1-4 this season and will play its second game of the day at 4 p.m., against the host Rams of Virginia Commonwealth. Michael Fagan will pitch for Princeton.