The VCU Rams could not find any relief Tuesday night against the fifth-ranked University of Virginia Cavaliers, falling 8-1. The loss came in front of a record crowd of 2,237 at The Diamond.
VCU had its chance to put runs on the board in the first, but after loading the bases with only one out, the Rams would only drive in one run off a Chris Jackson (Midlothian, Va./Manchester) single to left field to make it 1-0 VCU.
In the third, U.Va.’s Tyler Cannon led off the inning with a line drive double down the third base line. After a sacrifice bunt to advance Canon to third base, Greg Miclat drove Cannon in with a perfectly placed bunt to tie the game 1-1.
U.Va. took its first lead of the game in the top of fourth as Cannon hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield to score David Adams, who reached on a single, to give the Cavaliers a 2-1 lead.
The game would remain close until the sixth inning, when VCU’s starting pitcher, Phillip Deane (Richmond, Va./Varina), started to wear down. After leading off the inning with a walk, Deane hit four out of the next five batters and force in two unearned runs, making the score 4-1 U.Va.
U.Va. added three more runs in the seventh to extend the lead to 7-1. VCU relievers Bill Wieland (Marlton, N.J./Okaloosa Walton CC), Mick Mattaliano (Pottstown, Pa./Saint Pius X) and Robbie Andrews (Covington, Va./Alleghany) allowed four runs off of five hits and three walks. That combined with two errors by second baseman Richard Gonzalez (Puerto Rico) and one error by shortstop Sergio Miranda (Bayamon, Puerto Rico) doomed the Rams in the late innings.
The relief pitching for both teams was the difference in this game. U.Va. pitchers Michael Schwimer, Alex Smith and Casey Lambert were too much for the VCU batters to handle. Schwimer was the standout of the group, retiring all seven batters he faced with three strikeouts.
Deane took the loss on the mound for the Rams, dropping his record to 3-2, while Schwimer improved to 2-0.
The Rams record falls to 19-14 while the Cavaliers improve to 30-7.
VCU will be back in action tomorrow night against CAA rival Georgia State in Atlanta.