VMI Baseball Opens Big South Conference Play With 6-4 loss at Birmingham-Southern College

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VMI Baseball Opens Big South Conference Play With 6-4 loss at Birmingham-Southern College

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ? VMI baseball (15-8, 0-1 Big South) began Big South Conference play for the first time ever Friday night by dropping a 6-4 decision to Birmingham Southern College (13-5, 1-0 Big South) at Scrushy-Striplin Field.

Panther starting pitcher Josh Britnell (2-1) allowed just an unearned run in six innings to grab the win.

VMI starter Duke Acors (Richmond, Va. / Atlee) (2-4) suffered the loss, allowing three runs on five hits, while striking out seven and walking six in 4.1 innings.

The game featured the return of Keydet third baseman Kelly Sweppenhiser (Herndon, Pa. / Line Mountain) who had missed 12 games due to an ankle injury.

The sophomore scored the games first run in the third inning when centerfielder Brandon Massenburg (Prince George, Va. / Prince George) singled him home.

Overall, Sweppenhiser went 3-for-4 in the game.

The Panthers answered right back in the bottom of the third inning as right fielder Michael Cline tied the score with a sacrifice fly.

BSC posted two more runs in the fourth inning and two in the sixth to open up a 5-1 lead.

VMI added a run in the seventh inning when Massenburg drove in his second run of the night with a sacrifice fly, setting the score at 5-2.

The Panthers pushed another run across in the bottom of the eighth, handing the Keydets a 6-2 deficit as they batted in the ninth.

VMI right fielder Elliott Erbe (Portsmouth, Va. / Western Branch)(5) was able to close the gap to 6-4 when he knocked a two-run home run in the ninth, but the Keydets eventually came up short.

Centerfielder Matt Bogue and second baseman Michael Wydner each drove in two runs for BSC, while Cline connected for two triples in the contest.

The win was the 13th straight for the Panthers.

Both teams meet again Saturday afternoon for game two of the three game set.

The first pitched is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. EST.
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