[Stevev]

We are down in the 3rd 7-3. Richmond just scored 7 runs in the inning

[bigsmooth]

7-4,bottom of the third. i love gametracker. i wish LU had it on their site.

[bigsmooth]

just hit a grand salami baby! 8-7 flames top of the 4th and we are still batting.

[PAmedic]

world's longest 4th inning! (we batted around)

Michael Just was the guy that gave us the lead. Jerod up next? we're waiting w/ baited breath.

no Jerod- never mind.

Wild pitch/passed ball- Richmond scores and we are tied at 8

[PAmedic]

Richmond still has runners at 1st and 3rd.

Ground ball- yet another run scores. 9-8 Richmond, 2 down. sigh

[Stevev]

We are down 12-11 with 2 down in the eighth. Laurant on first.

[Stevev]

Miller up with 2 down in the ninth. We need you Chad!

[Stevev]

Just just fouled out. End of game. 12-11

[Sly Fox]

It sounds like that one was entertaining regardless of the outcome.

[SuperJon]

Why did we schedule two middle of the week games the week before the series with Coastal?

[FYI]

Quick answer. To use all the pitchers we will not use this weekend. We are not using six of our pitchers on a regular basis against live batters, so we scheduled two mid-week games. All the pitchers that threw today will not likely see action this weekend unless it is a blow out one way or another or will only throw an inning or two all weekend.

Solbach, Thompson, Umberger and Page were kept home and Tim John went along today, but has not pitched this week. He will be used in long relief this weekend or maybe twice in save situations of less than two innings. Page will also have relief duties.

[PAmedic]

thanks again for the update FYI- good stuff. For the record, I still see us finishing w/ 40 or maybe even 41 wins.

Liberty Edged in Slugfest by Richmond

April 19, 2006 · Richmond, Va.

Box Score Note:
For game box score, click “Team Stats” link on the right-hand navigation bar as all season box scores are listed on this link.

Despite a grand slam home run and five RBI from Michael Just, the Richmond Spiders edged the Liberty Flames, 12-11, in a non-conference game Wednesday afternoon at Pitt Field.

With the setback, the Flames drop to 29-10 on the season, while the Spiders move 14-23. It was the longest game of the season for Liberty as the contest lasted 3:46, eclipsing last weekend’s 3:27 game in a 13-6 first game win over Charleston Southern.

Liberty jumped to the lead with a run in the first inning. With two outs, Aaron Grijalva (r-So., 1B, Redlands, Calif.) reached on an infield single. After stealing second and advancing to third on a wild pitch, the first baseman scored on a double by Phillip Laurent (Sr., LF, Cantrall, Ill.).

The double was the 56th two-base hit of Laurent’s career and tied him with former Flames’ outfielder Steve Baker for the Liberty all-time career mark in doubles. Baker, an outfielder, hit 56 doubles from 1999-2002.

In the top of the second inning, the Flames extended their lead to 3-0. Abe Yeakel (Jr., C, Kutztown, Pa.) and P.K. Keller (So., CF, St. Petersburg, Fla.) opened the frame with back-to-back singles. After both runners advanced on a ground out, Yeakel came home on a sacrifice fly by Tommy Bussey (Fr., SS, Boynton Beach, Fla.). Keller later scored the second run of the inning on a single up the middle by Michael Just (Sr., 2B, Woodcliff Lake, N.J.).

Richmond took the lead in the bottom of the inning with seven runs on eight hits as the Spiders sent 10 batters to the plate in the frame. Richmond opened the inning with four-consecutive hits. After singling to begin the Spider’s half of the second, designated hitter Joe Mahoney scored on a RBI single by Andrew Justice. Vince Riggi then reached on an infield single and catcher Matt McKenna followed with a RBI single. A balk would plate Riggi to tie the score at 3-3. Two batters later, center fielder Ben Zeskind hit a two-run home run over the right field wall, his fifth of the season, to put the Spiders ahead, 5-3. Richmond then put together three-straight singles, scoring two more runs to go ahead 7-3 on a two-run single by third baseman Cameron Brown.

Liberty closed the gap with a single run in the third and took the lead with four runs in the fourth. The Flames plated an unearned run in the third as Laurent reached on an error and scored two batters later on a ground out by Yeakel. In the fourth, Liberty batted around in the frame. After the first three batters reached to load the bases, Just hit his second grand slam and fourth home run of the season by sending a blast over the left field wall for an 8-7 advantage.

The Spiders went back in front on three unearned runs in the bottom of the inning. With runners on second and third and one out, Mahoney stuck out, however the third strike was not held and a throwing error by the Liberty catcher allowed Richmond to tie the game at 8-8. The next batter, Brown delivered a run on ground out to first, while Justice followed with an infield single to plate another run for a 10-8 Spider advantage.

Richmond stretched their lead to 12-8 with two runs in the fifth. McKenna walked to leadoff the inning and scored on a RBI single by Anthony Sandstrom. He later scored on a RBI single by Ryan Mezroth, who came on the second inning at first base.

The Flames cut the Spider lead to one with three runs in the seventh. Yeakel scored on a sacrifice fly by Phil John (Jr., RF, Linwood, N.J.) for the first Liberty run of the inning. Bussey followed with a RBI single. Chad Miller (Sr., 3B, Wheat Ridge, Colo.) then doubled to the right field gap to the deliver the shortstop and make it, 12-11.

On a staff day for both teams, Tyler Light (Fr., RHP, San Bernardino, Calif.), the second of five Liberty pitchers on the afternoon took the loss to drop to 1-1 on the year. Lane Holby, the second of four pitchers for Richmond, picked up the win to move to 1-1, while Wyatt Stewart earned his first save of the season shutting down the Flames over the last two innings.

Liberty returns home and steps back into Big South Conference play with a weekend series against Coastal Carolina at Worthington Stadium. Game time for the opening game of the series Friday is scheduled for 3 p.m.

[jcmanson]

Tough loss for the guys. We all know they will be able to rebound, and bring home a Big South Championship