Spider baseball stays undefeated in close-game victory over VMI

The Spiders remain undefeated after winning their fourth straight game to begin the season with a win over Virginia Military Institute on Wednesday.

Redshirt senior Bret Williams, junior Nick Poulos and freshman Jansen Fraser led the offensive charge in the 5-4 victory.

Williams went 2-for-4 with a double and scored a run, but he was quick to congratulate his teammates for their accomplishments.

"Jansen had a huge hit," Williams said. "I can't say enough about the freshmen. The [freshmen] guys who are filling in play with confidence. They are a huge part of this team."

Fraser drove in two runs with a two-out single in the bottom of the seventh inning to solidify the Spiders' lead. He and his classmates continue to contribute to the Spiders success, softening the blow of losing seven seniors last year.

Freshman Tanner Stanley went 1-for-3 with an RBI, and freshman Tyler Beckwith singled in his first collegiate at-bat and scored a run. Freshmen pitchers Peter Bayer, Ryan Donnelly and Dan Martinson all made their college debuts on Wednesday. Martinson struck out the only batter he faced to end the top of the eighth inning.

Before the game, Richmond coach Mark McQueen had decided he was going to use this midweek game as an opportunity for pitchers who hadn't pitched much to get some game time before the weekend series, he said. Redshirt sophomore Chris Bates got the ball first for the Spiders, and six others pitched after his scoreless three innings.

McQueen was pleased with the overall effort, despite the pitchers walking more hitters than he would have liked, he said. After the Spiders solidly won their first three games of the season, McQueen was glad the team was able to win in a close-game situation early on so he could see how players would react to the added pressure, he said.

"Winning always gives you confidence, no matter how you play," he said. "I think we've played pretty well out of the chute, and now we get to see how we play on the road." The Spiders will head to Florida this weekend for a three-game series against the Jacksonville University Dolphins. Friday's game is set to start at 6:30 p.m.

Contact staff writer Erin Flynn at erin.flynn@richmond.edu