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Baseball Falls 2-1 at Virginia

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.- A pair of hit batsmen came back to haunt VMI, as the Keydets dropped their fifth one-run contest to either an ACC or SEC opponent this season, this one a 2-1 loss to Virginia Wednesday evening on a perfect night for baseball at Davenport Field at the UVa Baseball Stadium.

The Keydets (13-14) hit only two batters all evening, however they both came around to score as Virginia (19-6) extended their winning streak to 11 and improved to 16-1 at Davenport Field this season. The Keydets fall to 5-7 in one-run games this season, as nearly half of their contests this season have been decided by only one tally.

“When you play as many close games as we have over the past couple of months, it seems like you have to play perfect baseball,” said VMI head coach Marlin Ikenberry. “Our pitching staff did a nice job tonight, we just hit a couple of guys, and Virginia did a good job of manufacturing a pair of runs after that. (Mike) Anton pitched real well for four innings for us, then (Corey) Bachman and (Trey) Barham did a good job in the middle innings. And Jeff DeMara came out and did a nice job of coming in and getting out of a jam, then retiring them 1-2-3 in the eighth. But I think our guys came out and pitched well on the road, and I think this kind of quality game should get us ready for Birmingham-Southern this weekend.”

Pat McAnaney (2-0) earned the win for Virginia, pitching six strong innings while allowing only three hits of shutout baseball. McAnaney struck out six batters in his third start of the season, while Casey Lambert notched his seventh save of the season, allowing the Keydets only one base-runner in the ninth inning.

The Cavaliers took an early lead in the first inning, as they moved ahead 1-0 without the benefit of a hit. Mike Anton's second pitch of the game drilled Tim Henry in the helmet, giving Virginia a man on first with no outs. Two pitches later, Henry stole second, then moved to third base on a groundball to the first baseman. Henry gave the Cavs the lead when Ryan Zimmerman grounded into a double play on the first pitch he saw.

Anton settled in and allowed only one hit in the next three innings, then left the game after the fourth. In his fourth start of the season, he allowed only one run (earned) on one hit, striking out a pair of batters while throwing 66 pitches.

Corey Bachman entered the game in the fifth inning, and started out his evening the same way Anton did. Bachman hit the first batter he saw, Mike Campagna, who advanced to third on the next pitch on a hit and run. Henry then stepped to the plate and hit into a double play that scored Campagna, giving the Cavs a 2-0 lead.

Bachman would leave the game in the sixth inning after a pair of walks. Trey Barham relieved Bachman, who recorded four outs while giving up three hits and walking three, while getting tagged with one run.

The Keydets responded in the seventh inning, when John Baber reached on a one-out walk, then went to third base on a single down the right field line by Shane Geisslinger. One pitch later, Stephen Parsons hit a ground ball to the shortstop, who could not turn the double play, allowing Baber to score and Parsons to reach first base on a fielders' choice.

Barham would record two outs in the seventh inning, leaving runners on the corners for VMI closer Jeff DeMara. A wild pitch would put Zimmerman on second base before DeMara shut down the rally with a strikeout of Brandon Guyer.

Each pitcher would retire the side in the eighth inning, setting the stage for the Keydets' attempted comeback. However, after Charlottesville's own John Baber reached base on a two-out walk, a sharply-hit groundball by Shane Geisslinger found its way right to the shortstop, who flipped it to second base to record the final out.

Four Keydets recorded hits against Virginia, as Kelly Sweppenhiser, Elliott Erbe, Baber and Geisslinger each recorded a base knock. Kyle Werman went 2-for-2 from the nine-hole for the Cavaliers, the only player on either side to record multiple hits.

The Keydets were forced to play without a pair of regulars, as leadoff hitter and shortstop Matt Smith was sidelined with the flu while left fielder Jacoby Fields continues to battle a hamstring injury that has bothered him throughout the season.

“We're real beat up right now, we were without Matt and Jacoby out there tonight,” said Ikenberry. “But we had some guys step up and make plays for us, I was very impressed with Chad Rice's defense tonight at shortstop, where he hasn't really seen much time.”

The VMI baseball team returns to action Friday afternoon, when they host Birmingham-Southern in the first game of a three-game, Big South Conference series. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Patchin Field.
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