The GW baseball team fell to the University of Richmond 8-7 Wednesday at Pitt Field amid late-inning controversy about a game-tying inside-the-park home run.

The Colonials (26-18) led the host Spiders (7-6) entering the bottom of the seventh inning when Richmond freshman Matt Craig nailed a deep shot to leftfield. GW’s Matt Walker went back to the wall and appeared to catch the ball, but the senior hit the fence and fell as his foot got caught underneath the fence. The umpires ruled Walker did not make the catch, and Craig ran around the bases for an inside-the-park home run before Walker was able to free his foot and return the ball to the infield. Two GW coaches and players were ejected arguing the call.

The Spiders (19-23) would score a single run in the bottom of the eighth inning to take the lead for good. Richmond starter Jason Baker went the distance, striking out seven Colonials.

GW scored six runs in the first two innings and led the Spiders 6-3 behind an RBI from freshman Jake Wald before the Spiders tallied two runs in the fifth. Both teams scored a run in the sixth inning to set the stage for Craig’s home run.

Bryan Beggs (4-4) took the loss in relief of Glen Skutnik and starter Mike O’Connor. O’ Connor went five innings for the Colonials, giving up three earned runs and six hits while striking out four.

The Colonials will travel to La Salle this weekend for a three-game set, including a doubleheader Saturday.

Tuesday’s game against Georgetown was rained out and will not be rescheduled.

Atlantic 10 Baseball Standings

West
Virginia Tech (9-2)
Xavier (6-2)
GW (8-4)
Duquesne (6-3)
Dayton (6-6)
La Salle (3-9)

East
St Joseph’s (6-3)
St. Bonaventure (5-4)
Massachusetts (4-4-1)
Temple (3-5-1)
Rhode Island (1-8)
Fordham (1-8)