A High-Scoring Battle Unfolds
The Richmond Spiders baseball squad turned a tightly contested showdown into a 26-24 victory over the Saint Louis Billikens, clinching the second seed for the 2026 Atlantic 10 Conference Championship.
Richmond entered the final day of regular-season play with a 33-22 overall record and a 20-10 mark inside the league, the best conference performance the program has posted since 2007.
The game swung back and forth, with the Billikens opening a five-run lead in the first inning before the Spiders answered with an eight-run frame that featured a three-run homer from Chris Schaller.
Seven different pitchers were employed by Richmond, a strategy that kept the Billikens guessing and allowed reliever Chayse Gruber to close the game with four and one-third innings of solid work.
Key Moments and Performances
Noah Haught delivered a timely bases-loaded single, RJ Johnson Jr. added a three-run homer in the ninth, and Evan Wilson doubled twice to drive in runs.
The rally in the top of the ninth saw the Spiders load the bases, walk a batter, and eventually push across multiple runs, turning a 20-19 deficit into a 26-20 lead before the Billikens added a late two-run push.
Relief pitcher Gruber struck out the side in the final frame to preserve the win, sealing a night that will be remembered for its relentless offense and clutch performances.