THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Tuesday, April 4, 1995                 TAG: 9504040026
SECTION: SPORTS                   PAGE: C8   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER 
DATELINE: RICHMOND                           LENGTH: Medium:   59 lines

VCU SPOILS GUZZO'S RETURN, 6-5 THE ODU COACH'S OLD TEAM BEATS HIS NEW ONE WITH A RUN IN THE 9TH INNING.

Despite clear skies, it rained on Tony Guzzo's homecoming parade Monday afternoon at The Diamond.

In Guzzo's first game back since leaving Virginia Commonwealth last summer after 12 years at the helm, Guzzo saw his first-year edition of the Old Dominion Monarchs lose to the Rams, 6-5.

With one out in the bottom of the ninth, VCU pinch hitter Billy Fulwider's single to right scooted under Maika Symmonds' glove, allowing Chris Libbey to score from first.

It was the third loss in four games for ODU (21-11). ``I guess snakebit is a good description for us right now,'' Guzzo said.

For instance, starting pitcher Ron Walker balked twice while facing Libbey in the fourth, forcing in a run. Libbey then followed with a run-scoring single that gave the Rams (14-19) a 5-1 lead.

Walker, however, recovered and struck out 14, one shy of ODU's single-game record, held by Kevin Bearse.

The Monarchs recovered offensively as well. Symmonds stroked a three-run home run to left in the fifth. Kevin Gibbs' sacrifice fly in the sixth evened matters.

But ODU ran itself out of other opportunities. After doubling to open the sixth, Dan Almonte was picked off second, preventing a bigger inning. Then both Mike Henderson and Jason Riley were caught attempting to steal second in the eighth.

In a dozen years at VCU, Guzzo's teams were 329-300-2, and he guided the Rams to within a game of the College World Series in 1992.

``The toughest part about this game is I really want us to win,'' Guzzo said. ``But I don't want to see them lose. I wish I wouldn't have had to play these guys for four years so that all the guys I recruited would be gone.''

That's impossible, since the Rams join the Colonial Athletic Association next season, guaranteeing a yearly three-game series.

Ironically, Libbey, Guzzo's last VCU signee, hurt ODU most. Entering with a

``We really didn't treat this game any differently,'' said Libbey, a graduate of Norfolk's Maury High. ``But we all knew it was big.''

The Monarchs, who host VCU Wednesday night at 7, must begin healing their wounds, both literally and figuratively.

Catcher Matt Quatraro has been in leftfield of late, nursing a sore left knee. And staff ace Brett Wheeler hasn't pitched in two weeks due to a tender elbow. A vital three-game series at CAA contender Richmond begins Saturday.

``It's hard to remain hot for a whole year,'' Quatraro said. ``We've got 20-some games to go and it's important we finish strong. It's not time to panic, but this is cause to evaluate. We've got to pick up our intensity.'' ILLUSTRATION: ``I guess snakebit is a good description for us right now,''

ODU coach Tony Guzzo said.

by CNB