Late Rally Helps Coastal Carolina to 8-5 Win Over VMI Baseball

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Late Rally Helps Coastal Carolina to 8-5 Win Over VMI Baseball

LEXINGTON, Va. ? The VMI baseball team (18-16, 0-7 Big South) let a 5-4 eighth inning lead slide through its fingers on Friday when Coastal Carolina University (20-10, 3-4 Big South) scored four times in the frame to take an 8-5 victory at Patchin Field.

After loading the bases in the top of the eighth inning, the Chanticleers got back-to-back two-out hits from catcher Chad Oxendine and centerfielder Ryan McGraw to drive in four runs and seal CCU's win.

The Chanticleers loaded the bases in the eighth with one out, but Keydet reliever Jeff DeMara (Chesapeake, Va. / Great Bridge) struck out third baseman Derek Martin to bring VMI to within an out of avoiding Coastal Carolina's late game comeback.

But Oxendine made the score 6-5 with a two-run single and McGraw followed with a two-run double to give the Chanticleers the three-run lead.

Trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the third inning, VMI centerfielder B.T. Good (Vienna, Va. / James Madison) homered (4) to cut the deficit to 2-1.

The Keydets then took the lead in the fourth inning when designated hitter Brandon Massenburg (Prince George, Va. / Prince George) tripled home a run and then scored on a wild pitch, giving VMI a 3-2 edge.

CCU tied the game at 3-3 in the top of the fifth inning with an RBI single from second baseman Michael DeJesus, but VMI third baseman Kelly Sweppenhiser (Herndon, Pa. / Line Mountain) countered with a run scoring hit in the bottom of the inning to return the lead to the Keydets, 4-3.

The game became deadlocked again, 4-4, in the sixth inning when CCU's leftfielder Chris Raber connected for a solo home run (3).

VMI went ahead 5-4 in the bottom of the seventh inning after shortstop Matt Smith (Chesapeake, Va. / Great Bridge) singled, advance to second on a fielders choice, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a Chanticleer error.

DeMara (2-2) received the loss, while CCU reliever Byron Binda (3-3) allowed no runs and struck out five in 2.2 innings to earn the win.

J.J. Hollenbeck (Vienna, Va. / James Madison) started for the Keydets and allowed four runs on eight hits in six innings.

CCU starter Jake Hurry was touched up for five runs (four earned) on six hits in 6.1 innings of work.

Both teams meet again on Saturday for a doubleheader. The first game begins a 1:00 p.m.

VMI will start RHP Duke Acors (2-6, 7.83 ERA) in game one and LHP Mike Anton (0-0, 2.70 ERA) in game two.

The Chanticleers will send RHP Kevin Marrie (2-1, 3.77 ERA) to the mound for the first game and RHP Steven Carter (5-0, 3.99 ERA) for the second.

-VMI-
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