Baseball VMIKeydets.com

VMI Bats and Arms Come Together for 10-2 Win at High Point

HIGH POINT, N.C. ? A 3-0 first inning lead was all VMI (23-28, 4-17 BSC) starting pitcher Mike Anton (Clarksville, Md. / River Hill) (1-1) needed as the freshman lefthander allowed just four hits and an earned run in seven innings to record his first collegiate victory in the Keydets 10-2 Big South Conference win Monday afternoon against High Point University (8-39, 3-15 BSC) at George S. Erath Field.

Shortstop Matt Smith (Chesapeake, Va. / Great Bridge) led off the game with a double and was singled home by right fielder Elliott Erbe (Portsmouth, Va. / Western Branch) to give the Keydets the early 1-0 edge.

Back-to-back doubles, later in the inning, from left fielder Jacoby Fields (Prince George, Va. / Prince George) and catcher Sean Seawell (Spotsylvania, Va. / Spotsylvania) handed VMI a 3-0 advantage.

The Keydets made it 4-0 in the second inning after Smith doubled again and drove in first baseman Jon Wade (Marietta, Ga. / Harrison). Overall, Smith went 4-for-5 with two doubles and two RBI's in the contest.

After an unearned Panther run in the bottom of the second cut the Keydets' lead to 4-1, VMI opened up a 7-1 lead in the fourth inning on a bases load single from Smith, followed by a walk with the sacks packed and an RBI sacrifice fly by Erbe.

Another bases loaded walk in the sixth inning put the Keydets up 8-1, before HPU catcher Justin Pinyan singled in left fielder Corey Stang to set the score at 8-2.

Pinyan went 2-for-3 with an RBI in a spot start for the Panthers.

VMI added runs in the seventh and eighth innings to finish off HPU 10-2 and salvage one of the three games against the Panthers this weekend.

11 batters, in total, were hit with a pitch during the game, as five Keydets got drilled including Wade, who was hit twice.

Starter Phil Leake (1-4) lasted three innings for HPU, as he allowed four runs and took the loss.

Prior to the game, HPU recognized its oldest living baseball player in a brief ceremony. 1930 graduate Graham Madison is 99-years old and played second base and pitched for the Panthers.

VMI enters into an eight-day lay off before returning to action Wednesday, May 19, for a make-up game at William and Mary.

-VMI-
Print Friendly Version