May 14, 2009

RORICK OUTDUELS CUTLER-VOLTZ IN RAMS’ 6-1 LOSS AT DELAWARE
Box Score

NEWARK, Del. – Head Coach Paul Keyes told his Virginia Commonwealth University baseball team to work on improving each day and work on getting better for the next time it steps onto the field.

Freshman Seth Cutler-Voltz (Richmond, Va.) gave a perfect example of that all in one game.

After surrendering five runs in the first two innings, the right-hander held a potent University of Delaware offense to just one run over the next six innings. Unfortunately for the Rams and Cutler-Voltz, Brian Rorick was a little better in a 6-1 victory for the Fightin’ Blue Hens in the first game of the three-game Colonial Athletic Association series.

“I thought Seth did a good job today,” Keyes said. “This isn’t an easy place to pitch and after a tough start he settled in nicely and did a good job against a tough offense.”

Delaware jumped on Cutler-Voltz right out of the gate with a single from Ryan Cuneo and a double by Chris Nehl to put two runners in scoring position with one out in the bottom of the first. Cutler-Voltz settled in, only allowing a sacrifice fly by Ryan Reed as Delaware claimed an early 1-0 advantage.

Pat Dameron’s two-out single in the home half of the second was misplayed, allowing him to reach third base and start a Fightin’ Blue Hen rally. Kyle Davis followed with an RBI single to push the lead to 2-0 and Carlos Alonso singled to move Davis to third. That’s when Cuneo struck again, this time in a big way with a three-run home run over the right field wall to extend the lead to 5-0 for Delaware.

With one out in the top of the fourth, junior Doug Otto (Jefferson City, Mo.) tried to get the Rams offense going when he was hit by a pitch. Redshirt sophomore Joe Van Meter (Oyster Bay, N.Y.) followed with his second single of the day to move Otto to second. Two batters later, an error on a tough groundball from senior Carlos Rodriguez (Vega Baja, Puerto Rico) allowing Otto to score and make the score 5-1.

Junior Matt Leskiw (Plains, Pa.) drew a one-out walk in the top of the fifth and moved to third two batters later when classmate Andrew Dimino (Greenwood, Ind.) launched a double off the right-centerfield wall. Rorick settled in and got back-to-back strikeouts to keep the lead at 5-1.

Cutler-Voltz locked in after that, allowing just four hits and one run over the final six innings to give the Black & Gold a chance to rally.

However, Rorick had other ideas, allowing just one hit and facing the minimum, 12 hitters, over the final four innings to pick up his third straight complete game for the Fightin’ Blue Hens.

Offensively, Van Meter banged out two of the Black & Gold’s four hits on the afternoon, while Leskiw and Dimino each tallied one apiece on the afternoon.

The Rams and Fightin’ Blue Hens are back at it on Friday afternoon in the second game of the series. Game time is set for 3 p.m.