BASEBALL- Errors doom Rams against Georgia State

All season long, fielding and pitching miscues
have plagued the VCU Rams. Sunday’s
game against Georgia State was no exception.
VCU players were responsible for four errors,
a wild pitch and a passed ball in a 7-3 loss
to the Panthers at The Diamond.

The win gave Georgia State a series sweep.
VCU has yet to win a game in CAA action.

The game appeared to be a pitching duel in
the early innings. VCU starter Phillip Deane
(Richmond/Varina) and Georgia State pitcher
Kenny Camp combined to face seven batters
in the first inning. In the second inning, the
Panthers threatened to get on the board.

Catcher Marc Mimeault and right fielder
Matt Van Horn both singled then moved up
a base on a groundout by Derek Simmons.
However, Deane followed with a strikeout, and
second baseman Richard Gonzalez (Puerto
Rico/PRBA) made a diving stop and throw
to end the threat.

Georgia State broke onto the scoreboard
first, putting up three runs in the top of the
fourth inning. Bradley Logan led off the inning
with a single and was followed by Mimeault,
who also singled. However, an error by
Gonzalez enabled both runners to move up to
second and third base. The next batter, Van
Horn, reached first on a throwing error by
VCU shortstop Ryan Santos (Carolina, Puerto
Rico/PRBA) that allowed Logan to score.

Mimeault scored after the next batter
grounded out, and Van Horn crossed the
plate on a sacrifice fly. A double play ended
the inning. VCU got one run in the bottom
half when designated hitter Justin Wright
(Yorktown/Grafton) launched a pitch over the
wall in right-center field to cut the Panthers’
lead to 3-1.

The Panthers put up two more runs in the
fifth inning, this time on relief pitcher Will
Hirsch (Virginia Beach/Nansemond River),
who replaced Deane to start the inning. Hirsch
allowed the first two batters on base, giving up
a single to the first and walking the second.
After forcing a groundout, Hirsch threw a wild
pitch to Logan, scoring the lead-off man, then
allowed a single to score the second.

Down 5-1, the Rams answered in the bottom
half of the inning. Left fielder Matthew
Leskiw (Plains, Pa./James) opened with a
double and was followed with singles by
catcher Eric Curtis (Chesterfield/Matoaca)
and right fielder M.L. Morgan (Petersburg/
Dinwiddie).

After a Panthers’ pitching change, Santos
couldn’t take advantage of the basesloaded
situation and popped out to third
base. However, first baseman R.J. Schenk
(Yorktown/Tabb) was able to bring in Leskiw
with a sacrifice fly.

Jared Bolden (Lynchburg/E.C. Glass) followed
with a double to right field that scored
Curtis. Chris Jackson (Midlothian/Manchester)
was unable to capitalize on the momentum
and grounded out to third base.

Georgia State added the final runs of the
game in the top of the sixth without a base
hit because of errors by Santos and Schenk.
VCU only could manage two hits the rest
of the game, allowing the Panthers to take
the win.

Assistant coach Tim Haynes, who was
serving as head coach because Paul Keyes was
thrown out of Saturday’s game, was tossed in
the top of the ninth, following an argument
with the home-plate umpire.

—

By the numbers

Ga. St. (4-5 CAA, 14-7): 000 322 000 7 10 0

VCU (0-5, 5-15): 000 120 000 3 9 4

Camp, Reeves (5) and Mimeault; Deane, Hirsch (5),
Reid (6), Morgan (9) and Curtis. W: Reeves (1-0). L:
Deane (1-3): HR: Wright (1).