Baseball VMIKeydets.com

Baseball Splits Big South Doubleheader Against #21 Coastal Carolina

CONWAY, S.C.- Junior third baseman Kelly Sweppenhiser provided the offense while junior J.J. Hollenbeck and senior Jeff DeMara took care of the pitching duties as the VMI baseball team took the first game of a doubleheader against #21 Coastal Carolina by a 3-2 margin before falling in the day's second game 3-1 in Big South Conference action Saturday afternoon at Charles Watson Stadium.

Sweppenhiser (Herndon, Pa./Line Mountain) accounted for all three runs in the first contest, bringing home two in the first inning with his seventh home run of the season, then scoring in the sixth inning after a leadoff double. Hollenbeck (Vienna, Va./James Madison) threw seven strong innings, allowing only one run on three hits while striking out five to earn his first win of the season (1-2), while DeMara (Chesapeake, Va./Great Bridge) came on to pitch the final two innings, giving up one run on two hits and recording one strikeout to earn his second save of the season.

“Our guys played extremely hard and pitched extremely well today,” said VMI head coach Marlin Ikenberry on his team's win, VMI's (13-13, 3-3 Big South) first over a ranked opponent since defeating #28 Stetson 19-13 on February 15, 2004. “Both J.J. and Jeff did an outstanding job for us on the mound today. I was really pleased with our performance, our effort and how hard we played down here against one of the best teams in the country.”

In the second contest, senior Jimmy Thoms (Newport News, Va./Denbigh) fell to 3-2 on the season after allowing three runs, only one earned, on eight hits in 7.1 innings of work. Thane Smith (Virginia Beach, Va./First Colonial) recorded a pair of hits in the contest, scoring the Keydets' only run in the fifth inning when Matt Smith walked with the bases full.

“Jimmy threw a great ballgame out there, going 7.1 innings for us,” said Ikenberry. “He threw strikes for us and mixed in his slider well. The key to the second game was us not being able to get two-out hits, which ended up causing us to leave 10 guys on base. But I'm really proud of how our guys came out and competed this weekend, all three contests were well-played college baseball games.”

A leadoff walk by Matt Smith led off the first contest, who scored two batters later, when Sweppenhiser drilled a 1-1 pitch beyond the left field fence, giving the Keydets a 2-0 lead just three batters into the contest.

That is how the game would stay until the bottom of the fourth inning, when Coastal strung together a leadoff single, a walk, a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly to scratch out their first run of the contest, cutting the margin to 2-1.

However, VMI answered in their half of the sixth, when Sweppenhiser's league-leading 11th double of the season led off the frame. After he was sacrificed over to third base by senior Elliott Erbe, Sweppenhiser was brought home by sophomore Robert Crumpler, whose single to right field represented the fourth and final hit of the day for the Keydets.

In the seventh inning, Coastal tried to mount a two-out rally, only to be rebuffed by Hollenbeck. After allowing a walk and a single through the left side of the infield, Hollenbeck regrouped to strike out the Chanticleer's leadoff hitter, Chris Todd to end the inning.

DeMara came on in the eighth and proceeded to sit down all three batters he faced in the inning, giving Coastal only one more chance to extend their eight-game winning streak. After a leadoff double by Michael DeJesus, DeMara retired the next two batters he faced before Coastal scored their second run of the day on a single to right-center field by Mike Fuentes. However, DeMara then got Chris Raber to fly out to left field, as the Keydets celebrated their first ever win over a ranked Big South opponent. DeMara also claimed the ninth save of his career, tying him for second place on the VMI career list with Merlin Ikenberry, just two behind Ian Ostlund's mark of 11.

In the contest, Sweppenhiser went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a pair of runs scored, while both Crumpler and Shane Geisslinger each pitched in with a hit as well. Five different Chanticleers posted single hits, with Todd and DeJesus' hits as the only extra-base hits, both doubles. The two teams combined for only nine hits, the fewest in a game by VMI this season.

Earning his first loss of the season was Andy DeLaGarza, who fell to 2-1 after giving up three runs on three hits in 5.1 innings. He was relieved by Byron Binda, who pitched the final 3.2 innings, allowing only one hit while striking out four.

In game two, the Chants and Keydets traded zeroes until the fourth. Todd doubled to open the inning, then scored two batters later on a single by Danny Morgan. With two outs, Raber had an infield single and Morgan scored on a throwing error by Chad Rice.

VMI came back with a run in the fifth as Matt Smith walked with the bases loaded, scoring Thane Smith. VMI almost tied the game, but a great run and throw from Adam Vrable to gun Jacoby Fields kept Coastal on top.

The Chants added insurance in the eighth when Todd, who reached on a bunt single, was caught in a run down between third base and home plate, but Sweppenhiser's throw hit Todd and he came across to make it 3-1.

Kevin Marrie earned the win for Coastal, going 6.1 innings, striking out five and giving up three hits and one run. Costanzo earned his seventh save of the season, going 2.1 innings with two strikeouts and no runs.

Todd went 3-for-4 on the game with two runs scored. Morgan added two hits and an RBI. For VMI, Thane Smith had two of the Keydets four hits.

The Keydets return to action on Wednesday evening, when they travel to Charlottesville, Va. to tangle with in-state rival Virginia. First pitch from Davenport Field is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Print Friendly Version