Rapid Recap: Baseball wins series over Fairfield

The University of Richmond baseball team shut out Fairfield University, 0-8, Sunday afternoon to win the weekend series.

Though the bats were quiet for much of the game, two big-scoring innings and strong pitching from Zak Sterling, junior starter, and Ryan Cook, junior reliever, brought the Spiders to a victory over the Stags.

Sterling pitched six scoreless innings, allowed five hits and one walk and struck out four batters, which earned the win for Richmond. He was relieved by Cook who pitched three innings, allowed only three hits and struck out three. Cook was also a significant contributor to the offense, going 2-for-4 with one run batted in.

The weather was as warm as the energy was high in the first inning, when the Spiders took an early lead. Sophomore Tanner Stanley, center fielder, led off the inning with a triple, and was quickly brought home with an RBI-groundout by Mike Small, senior shortstop. Sophomore Doug Kraeger, first baseman, struck out, but reached first on a wild pitch. Sophomore Matt Dacey, third baseman, followed with a double, and Cook with a single to make the score 3-0 to start the game.

The Spiders didn't score again until a four-run sixth inning. Dacey walked to lead off, and Cook, Kurtis Brown, freshman designated hitter, and freshman Tyler Beckwith, left fielder, hit back-to-back-to-back singles to bring home two more runs. Senior Adam Forrer, second baseman, and sophomore Aaron Newman, catcher, grounded out and flew out respectively to bring home two more runs before the inning was over.

Richmond scored its final run in the seventh inning on a solo home run hit by Dacey.

The team will play again at Pitt Field Wednesday, March 5, when they take on Coppin State.

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