CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Grant Burruss hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning, giving Georgia Southern a 6-4 victory over VMI in the first round of the Southern Conference Baseball Championships Wednesday at Riley Park.
Burruss' sixth homer of the season, a towering shot over the wall in right off of reliever J.J. Hollenbeck, snapped a 4-4 tie and also allowed the Eagles to complete a comeback from an early inning deficit. Burruss' blast came immediately after Brandon Long's one-out single to right.
Kevin Culpepper (3-0) picked up the win for Georgia Southern after relieving starter Dennis Dove and tossing a scoreless top of the ninth. Hollenbeck (1-4), who had not given up a hit in three previous innings of relief until Long's single in the ninth, received the loss.
"It is very important to win the first game and stay in the winner's bracket. We were fortunate to scratch out some runs and pull out a win," said Georgia Southern Head Coach Rodney Hennon.
VMI staked starting pitcher Duke Acors to a 3-0 lead in the second. Andy Barden's lead-off triple to the gap in right center and Jon Wade's single up the middle plated the game's first run. The Keydets then loaded the bases with a Jason Annis walk and a Ben Rand single before Wade scored on a groundout and Annis trotted home on a wild pitch.
The Eagles (36-19) scored three runs in the fifth to forge a 3-3 tie. Rocky Baker drew a walk to open the inning and Brent Stephens followed with a single, putting runners at first and second. Acors then threw a wild pitch on ball four to James Payne, allowing Baker to score from second and Stephens to advance to third. Stephens scored after an errant pick-off attempt at first and Brandon Long then knotted the game by singling home Payne from second.
Acors had given up just one hit through four innings before surrendering two hits and three walks (in addition to the wild pitch and botched pick off) in the fifth. He survived the inning by getting Greg Dowling to fly out to left with the bases loaded but was replaced by Hollenbeck to start the sixth.
VMI (22-27) gained a 4-3 lead in the sixth as Eliott Erbe scored on a groundout by Annis. Erbe led off the inning by reaching base safely on a third strike wild pitch. Georgia Southern tied the game in the bottom of the inning as Baker scored from third on Payne's groundout to short.
Eagle starter Dennis Dove pitched eight innings, giving up seven hits and recording eight strikeouts. He also worked out of a jam in the eighth. With one out and runners on second and third, he struck out Annis and got Matt Smith to groundout to second.
"It was a tough way to lose," said VMI Head Coach Tom Slater. "We pitched extremely well. A couple of errors were made that helped them. Credit Georgia Southern for battling back and Dove for getting stronger as the game went on."
Georgia Southern squandered an indentical scoring opportunity in the third as Acors struck out Brendan Gilligan, then forced Long to fly out to right.
Georgia Southern will face the winner of the The Citadel/College of Charleston game at 7:30 pm on Thursday. VMI will take on the loser of the same game at 1:00 pm on Thursday. The Keydets can be heard on the internet at www.vmikeydets.com.
