LEXINGTON, Va. - For the second straight day VMI shortstop Matt Smith (Chesapeake, Va. / Great Bridge) delivered a game winning RBI single, breaking an 8-8 tie in the bottom of the 11th inning with a bases load base hit that gave the Keydets a 9-8 win on Sunday and a weekend series sweep of Norfolk State University at Patchin Field.

VMI (12-6) again came up with a ninth inning rally as they trailed 8-6 heading into the final frame of regulation.

After the first two VMI batters were retired in the ninth inning, catcher Sean Seawell (Spotsylvania, Va. / Spotsylvania) got on base and Smith tripled him home to bring the Keydets to within one, 8-7.

Smith then scored on a wild pitch to send the game into extra innings tied 8-8.

"The last couple of days our players have done a great job of not giving up," VMI baseball head coach Marlin Ikenberry said. "We did a tremendous job battling late in this game. I'm really proud of our guys."

VMI trailed 3-0 in the bottom of the fourth before erupting for a four-run inning highlighted by right fielder Elliott Erbe's (Portsmouth, Va. / Western Branch) two-run home run (4).

The Keydets handed the lead right back to the Spartans, as centerfielder Darryl Chever connected for a solo home run in the fifth inning and leftfielder Cameron Jones knocked a two-run shot (1) in the sixth.

In the top of the seventh inning, Chever came through with his second solo homer (3) of the game and was followed up by a solo blast from third baseman Juan Serrano (2) that put NSU ahead 8-4.

VMI cut the deficit to 8-6 in the bottom of the seventh inning when Seawell doubled in a run and then eventually came around to score on an error.

VMI starter Jimmy Thoms (Newport News, Va. / Denbigh) allowed six runs on nine hits in his 5.2 innings of work.

Reliever Josh Owens (Sandston, Va. / Benedictine) (3-0) came in and slammed the door on the Spartans, holding NSU hitless and scoreless over the game's final four innings to earn his second win in as many days.

"Josh Owens is the epitome of what this team's about," Ikenberry added. "He's tough as nails."

Sunday's game was the fourth time in the Keydets' last seven contests that they won in their final at-bat.

The victory is also the team's 11th straight at Patchin Field dating back to last season.

The Keydets travel to Norfolk, Va. on Wednesday to face Old Dominion University at 5:00 p.m.

They return to Patchin Field on Friday to open a three-game series with SUNY Binghamton.

-VMI-