May 27, 2005

Box Score

DAYTON, OH - Sophomore Michael Parker went 3-for-3 with four RBI's and George Washington used a six-run fourth inning to avenge Thursday's defeat to Richmond with a 10-4 win on Friday evening in the 2005 Atlantic 10 Baseball Championship.

George Washington (41-18) will face top-seeded Rhode Island (33-19) on Saturday at 12:00p.m.. A URI win would give the program its first ever A-10 title, while a Colonials win would force a 3:30p.m. contest in a winner-take-all showdown at Fifth Third Field.

"We have to shake any possible excuse about being tired and go out and just play one game tomorrow," said George Washington head coach Steve Mrowka.

"We have to have a one-game winning streak and then play a second game and that's what we're looking to do."

George Washington scored two in the top half of the first inning on sophomore Michael Parker's two-run single off Richmond starter John Cronin. Richmond answered right back with three runs as Ben Zeskind and Anthony Sandstrom hit back-to-back singles to open the inning before scoring on sophomore Matt McKenna's bases-clearing triple.

After senior starter Dan Sullivan kept the Spiders at bay in the second and third innings, GW exploded for six runs in the top half of the fourth inning on four hits and a pair of walks. Third baseman Geoff Milsom smacked a two-run single through the right side of the infield and Parker collected one of his four RBI's before UR third baseman Matt McKenna's two-run error gave the Colonials an 8-4 advantage.

GW added runs in the sixth and seventh innings, including designated hitter Bill Simpson's fourth home run to lead off the seventh off sophomore reliever Lee Rattigan.

Sullivan allowed four runs on eight hits with seven strikeouts over six innings to earn his seventh win of the year. Milsom and A-10 Player of the Year Brad Rosenblat collected two hits apiece while senior reliever Nate Casa Grande tossed three innings of scoreless relief.

"Parker got some real big hits for us and Sullivan gave us six strong so I am just real proud of the guys," said Mrowka.

Cronin (2-4) surrendered seven runs (six earned) on seven hits with three walks and three strikeouts. Zeskind enjoyed a 2-for-3 evening with a pair of walks to finish the year with a .365 average to lead the Spiders (22-35).