TOWSON, Md. - Senior righthander Robbie Andrews pitched two perfect innings to earn his sixth save of the season as Colonial Athletic Association-leading Virginia Commonwealth University (18-14, 8-1) completed a three-game sweep over the Tigers (9-23, 5-7) with a 9-8 come-from-behind victory over the Tigers in the final game of their weekend series at John B. Schuerholz Park on Sunday afternoon.
In a game that was tied five times, the Rams scored twice in the top of eighth inning to take a 9-8 lead. Then they turned the game over to Andrews who retired Towson in order in the eighth and ninth innings. In the first seven innings, the Tigers were not retired in order.
By sweeping the Tigers, VCU became the first visiting team to sweep a three-game series from the Tigers since May 4-6, 2007 when VCU also accomplished the feat.
After the Tigers took an 8-7 lead in the bottom of the seventh inning, VCU rallied to take the lead in the top of the eighth inning. Sophomore catcher Taylor Perkins started the rally when he doubled down the left field line. Perkins advanced to third base when pinch hitter Michael Cheatham grounded out to shortstop. Perkins was replaced at third base by pinch runner Gregory Fujii. When junior righthander Drew Permison walked senior centerfielder Matt Leskiw, the Rams had runners on first and third with one out.
Senior second baseman Richard Gonzalez followed with a single to left field, scoring Fujii with the tying run. Moments later, senior shortstop Doug Otto singled to rightfield, driving in Leskiw with the go-ahead run. The Tigers did get an out on the play as Collins threw out Gonzalez as he was trying to advance to third base while Otto moved to second base on the throw.
Sophomore catcher Brian Wyman ended the inning by throwing out Otto, who was trying to steal third base.
However, Andrews dashed the Tigers' hopes of another comeback as he struck out two of the three batters he faced in the bottom of the eighth inning. In the bottom of the ninth, Andrews retired the first two hitters before Leskiw ran down senior Steve Yarsinsky's bid for an extra-base hit with a running catch against the fence in left centerfield.
The Rams, who beat the Tigers by 10-0 and 7-4 in the first two games of the series, took a 2-0 lead in the first inning. For the second game in a row, VCU scored two runs in the first. Leskiw led off the game by lining a double down the rightfield line. Moments later, Gonzalez reached base when he was hit by a pitch from sophomore righthander Tyler Austin. After Leskiw and Gonzalez pulled off a double steal, the Rams had two runners in scoring position. Austin struck out Otto for the first out. But, Leskiw scored the first run of the game when Wyman was charged with a passed ball.
Junior pitcher Joe Van Meter helped his own cause by drilling an RBI single to left, scoring Gonzalez to give the Rams a 2-0 lead. After Wyman threw Van Meter out trying to steal second base, junior leftfielder John Lenherr dropped a bloop single into short rightcenterfield. After Austin walked sophomore first baseman Brent Mikionis to put two runners on base, he pitched out of the jam by retiring sophomore leftfielder Paul Nice on a fly ball to centerfield.
In the bottom of the first inning, the Tigers wasted no time overcoming their 2-0 deficit. Sophomore centerfielder Ben Winter led off with an opposite field double to left field. Junior shortstop Nick Natoli was retired on a long fly ball to Nice in left centerfield as Winter advanced to third. Senior rightfielder Kevin Collins drew a walk to put the tying runs on base. After Collins stole second base, the Tigers had two runners in scoring position.
That set the stage for Yarsinsky, who had missed the last three games while being hospitalized with an undisclosed illness. In his first appearance since returning to the team, Yarsinsky lined a two-run single to centerfield, tying the game at 2-2. The single enabled Yarsinsky to extend his hitting streak to 20 games. Junior second baseman Chris Wychock followed Yarsinsky's single with a two-run homer over the left centerfield fence. Wychock's seventh home run of the season gave Towson a 4-2 lead, its first lead of the weekend series.
Trailing by 4-2 in the top of the second inning, the Rams loaded the bases with no outs as Austin hit Perkins with a pitch, and allowed back-to-back singles by freshman third baseman Nick Kime and Leskiw. When Gonzalez hit a grounder back through the middle, Natoli turned it into a double play as Perkins scored to make it a 4-3 game. Austin escaped the inning without any further damage when he retired Otto on a fly ball to left.
In their half of the second inning, the Tigers added another run and threatened to add more. With one out, junior third baseman Austin Harclerode drew a walk. After he stole second base, Winter lined a single to leftfield, scoring Harclerode to give Towson a 5-3 lead. When Natoli followed with a double, Winter advanced to third base. However, Van Meter pitched out of the jam by retiring Collins on a pop up and getting Yarsinsky to hit a fly ball to right.
With one out in the third inning, the Rams rallied to take a 6-5 lead while knocking Austin out of the game. Lenherr started the rally by drawing a one-out walk. When Mikionis doubled down the left field line, Lenherr advanced to third base. An RBI single by Nice scored Lenherr to cut the deficit to 5-4 as Mikionis advanced to third base.
At that point, senior lefthander Wes Shifflett was summoned from the bullpen to relieve Austin. Perkins greeted Shifflett with a double to rightfield, scoring Mikionis with the tying run and sending Nice to third base. Kine followed with a single to left, scoring Nice to give VCU a 6-5 lead. Shifflett pitched out of the inning when he got Leskiw to ground into an inning-ending double play.
In their half of the third inning, freshman leftfielder Kurt Wertz tied the game at 6-6 when he belted a solo home run over the rightfield fence. It was the first home run of his college career. After Van Meter hit Wyman with a pitch, he was relieved by junior righthander Jonathan Watson. Watson escaped the inning when he struck out junior designated hitter Eric Weller and Wyman was thrown out trying to steal second base.
In the top of the fourth inning, Otto gave VCU a 7-6 lead when he blasted his fourth home run of the season over the right field fence.
Trailing by 7-6 in the bottom of the fourth, the Tigers threatened to take a lead. Harclerode led off the inning with a double down the left field line. The Tigers proceeded to load the bases when Watson hit Winter and Natoli with pitches. Collins drove in the tying run when he hit a fly ball to rightfield where Lenherr made a diving catch. Harclerode scored the tying run on the sacrifice fly.
But the Tigers were unable to score any more runs. Watson picked Natoli off first base for the second out and retired Yarsinsky on a fly ball to rightfield.
Shifflett shut out the Rams in the fifth and sixth innings to keep the score tied. In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Tigers had two runners on base with two outs. But Collins grounded out to second base, ending the threat.
In the seventh inning, Shifflett surrendered a one-out single to Mikionis and was relieved by Permison. Permison pitched out of the inning when he got Nice to ground into an inning-ending double play.
The Tigers took an 8-7 lead in their half of the seventh. Yarsinsky led off with a double and advanced to third base on a wild pitch by sophomore righthander Kyle Pelchy. Wychock followed with a single to left, driving in Yarsinsky with the go-ahead run. However, Wertz was retired on a fly ball to deep right and Wychock was thrown out trying to steal second base. Pelchy struck out Wyman to end the threat.
The Rams, who out hit Towson by a 17-10 margin, were led by Otto and Van Meter, who had three hits each. Otto went three-for-five with two runs batted in while Van Meter had three hits and one RBI. Perkins added a pair of doubles while Leskiw, Mikinois and Kime each had two base hits.
Pelchy earned his first win of the season as he pitched three innings of relief. He allowed one run on three hits with one walk and two strikeouts.
Wychock led the Tigers' ten-hit attack with three hits and three runs batted in. Yarsinsky added two hits and drove in a pair of runs while Winter added a pair of hits.
Shifflett pitched well in relief for the Tigers. He pitched four innings and gave up one run on six hits. He issued one walk and struck out three.
Permison suffered the loss for the Tigers. In 2.2 innings, he gave up two runs on four hits with two walks.
In the game, VCU had 24 base runners. In addition to 17 hits, the Rams were issued five walks and had two batters reach base when hit by a pitch. However, the Tiger infield turned four double plays to help escape some jams.
VCU extended its winning streak in CAA games to five in a row.
The Tigers, who were 5-0 at home prior to this weekend, return to action on Tuesday with a non-conference game at George Washington University.
