STATESBORO, Ga. -- Brendan Gilligan smacked a two-out base hit to right to score James Payne in the bottom of the ninth to give Georgia Southern a 3-2 victory over VMI Sunday at Clements Stadium and secure a three-game sweep of the Keydets.

Payne doubled to centerfield with one out in the ninth off of VMI reliever Jeff DeMara (Chesapeake, Va. / Great Bridge) and moved to third on Rocky Baker's fly out. Gilligan then shot a 1-0 pitch through the infield to give the Eagles the win.

VMI (9-16, 6-6 Southern Conference) tied the score in the top of the ninth off of GSU closer Jason Cadenhead. Jon Wade singled with one out and Cadenhead issued free passes to Brandon Massenburg (Prince George, Va. / Prince George) and Matt Smith to load the bases. After Justin Briggs (Rustburg, Va. / Rustburg) popped out, Allan Wimmer (Vienna, Va. / James Madison) slammed a double down the leftfield line to score Massenburg and Smith.

Georgia Southern (19-9, 8-3 SoCon) scored first in the second inning. Grant Burruss led off the frame with a base hit and moved to third on Greg Dowling's single. A. J. Zickgraf lifted a sacrifice fly to left to chase home Burruss and give the Eagles a 1-0 lead.

The Eagles added their second run in the bottom of the fifth. Adam DeLoach reached on an error, moved to second when James Payne was hit by a pitch for the eighth time in the last seven contests and advanced to third when Brendan Gilligan drew a walk. With the bases loaded, Carlos Love was plunked to force DeLoach across.

VMI missed three chances to score early, leaving the bases loaded in the third, fourth and fifth innings. GSU starter John Carroll wiggled out of trouble with a strikeout in the third and a flyout in the fourth, while Kevin Culpepper came in to retire pinch-hitter Ben Rand (South Boston, Va. / VCU) to end the fifth.

Dowling led the GSU offensive attack, collecting three of the seven Eagle's hits. Jason Annis (Placentia, Calif. / Valencia) led VMI with two hits.

"Both teams played well, and both teams pitched well," stated VMI head coach Tom Slater. "Jeremy Harper and Jeff DeMara both had outstanding outings on the mound. Allan Wimmer's double in the ninth was a huge hit that gave us a chance to win. It was a great game. Unfortunately, we came out on the short end this time."

VMI will next be in action on Wednesday when they will play at Radford. The opening pitch is set for 3 p.m.