THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 24, 1996 TAG: 9603240220
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C8 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JAMES C. BLACK, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 61 lines
Old Dominion taught Richmond two valuable lessons Saturday evening: Never count out the Monarchs - and never underestimate Ron Walker.
The do-everything sophomore and his teammates arose from the dead and buried the Spiders with an 11-10, 12-inning victory at the Bud Metheny Complex in the opener of a Colonial Athletic Association baseball doubleheader.
ODU (19-6, 3-1), which trailed 10-2 in the seventh inning, scored five runs in the bottom of the ninth to tie the score.
``It really wasn't pretty, but our guys were courageous,'' ODU coach Tony Guzzo said. ``It was a very hard-fought and tremendous win.''
And, presumably, a certain loss going into the bottom half of the ninth inning.
With Dan Daly on the mound for Richmond (10-10, 3-1), Walker led off the inning with his ninth home run of the season, a shot to leftfield. Matt Quatraro, who homered off the scoreboard in the seventh, followed with a shot to right for his sixth homer of the season.
After Mike Henderson struck out, Quentin Lindsey and Anthony Forelli walked. Robbie Preston then replaced Daly and hit Eric Folmar to load the bases.
After missing the plate twice while facing Tony Gsell, Preston was replaced by Henry Ogden, who walked Gsell to force in Lindsey. David Winter then followed with a single to score Forelli and Folmar and tie the score.
After Jason Koch struck out, Walker had a chance to end the rally he had started. But instead, he popped out to short.
However, the opportunities for Walker to become the game's centerpiece would resurface.
After Richmond's John Dorman doubled off Shawn Patterson to open the 10th, Walker was moved from third base to the mound.
Throw in a free pass, and Walker would retire the next six batters on strikeouts. His biggest challenge, however, came in the 12th inning.
Jeff Wood walked, John Dorman reached on an error and John Wagler was hit by a pitch to load the bases. But Walker got out of the tight spot by coaxing a shallow fly to right and a strikeout.
``I did what I could,'' Walker said.
Koch led off the bottom of the inning with a single to right-center off Ogden. Walker followed with a shot up the middle.
Quatraro then hit a bouncer to short. Wood, instead of going for the double play, tried to get Koch at third and threw the ball into the dugout. Koch strolled home for the winning run.
``I can't ever remember a greater comeback with two teams of this magnitude,'' Guzzo said.
Winter and Quataro each had four hits and three RBIs for ODU. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Richmond's John Wagler slides safely into second as Old Dominion
shortstop Tony Gsell leaps for the throw during the second inning of
Game 1 at The Bud.
by CNB