ASHEVILLE, N.C. - UNC Asheville (16-18, 6-4 BSC) cranked out 18 hits and starter Steven Cook (6-4) went the distance as the Bulldogs defeated VMI baseball 11-3 in Big South Conference play Friday at Greenwood Field.

UNCA used RBI hits from Brandon Drespling, Todd Coggins, and Nick Jaska, along with a sacrifice fly from Steve Sherman to take a 4-0 lead after three innings.

The Keydets (19-18, 1-9 BSC) got on the board in their half of the fourth inning when catcher Sean Seawell (Spotsylvania, Va. / Spotsylvania) singled home right fielder Elliott Erbe (Portsmouth, Va. / Western Branch) to cut the Bulldogs lead to 4-1.

UNCA increased its lead to 6-1 in the bottom of the fourth after back-to-back doubles were followed by an error on a bunt base hit.

VMI cut the deficit again in the fifth inning when third baseman Kelly Sweppenhiser (Herndon, Pa. / Line Mountain) drove home both shortstop Matt Smith (Chesapeake, Va. / Great Bridge) and centerfielder B.T. Good (Vienna, Va. / James Madison) with a double, putting the score at 6-3.

The Bulldogs, however, posted two runs in the seventh inning and three more in the eighth, including a two-run home run from David Williams (4), to finish off VMI 11-3.

Keydet starter J.J. Hollenbeck (Vienna, Va. / James Madison) (3-2) took the loss, allowing 12 hits and five earned runs in five innings of work.

Cook's complete game was his fourth of the season.

Both Smith and Sweppenhiser went 2-for-4 for VMI, as UNCA's Jaska collected four hits and two RBI's.

The Bulldogs stole eight bases in the contest, including three from Matt Roberts.

The second game of the three game series between VMI and UNCA is Saturday at 2:00 p.m.

The Keydets will send freshman LHP Mike Anton to the mound, as the Bulldogs counter with RHP David Williams.

-VMI-