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Keydets Come Back From Six-Run Deficit to Take Game One Over High Point, 10-7

LEXINGTON, Va.- A two-run home run by sophomore catcher Chase Buchanan capped a six-run comeback as VMI took game one of a three-game Big South Conference series against High Point Friday afternoon at Patchin Field. The win improves VMI's record to 22-25 overall and 7-12 in the Big South, while HPU falls to 18-31 and 6-16 in league play.

Buchanan's (Tazewell, Va./Tazewell) home run, the first of his career, was one of three hit on the day by VMI, who fell behind by a 6-0 count in the fourth inning. However, four runs in the bottom of the fourth, followed by two-run home runs by sophomore first baseman Robert Crumpler (Suffolk, Va./Nansemond-Suffolk) and Buchanan in the fifth and sixth innings respectively, gave the Keydets the momentum they needed to hang on for a key game one victory.

“I was real proud of our offense, after being down 6-0 early and coming back like they did,” said VMI head coach Marlin Ikenberry. “We did a great job of expanding the lead late in the game. Crumpler and Buchanan each had huge home runs for us, Crumpler's to bring it to within one, then Buchanan's to give us the lead. But J.J. (Holllenbeck) did a great job in the middle innings to get the win, he put up the zeroes that we needed to have. And Jeff (DeMara) did an outstanding job in closing them out in the ninth. Our guys came out and were focused the entire game, which is really a tribute to our kids and what they've been doing all year.”

Junior right-hander Hollenbeck picked up the win in relief of senior starter Jimmy Thoms, who surrendered seven runs, six earned, in five innings. Hollenbeck (3-5) came on to start the sixth and pitched three shutout innings, allowing only hit and one walk while striking out two in only his third relief appearance of the season. Meanwhile, DeMara struck out two of the three batters he faced in the ninth to pick up his fifth save of the season, and more importantly, his record-breaking 12th career save, as he passed Ian Ostlund who held the record for five years.

Taking the loss for High Point was freshman righthander Matt Schlanger (4-6), who gave up eight runs on 11 hits, walking five and striking out two in 5.2 innings of work. Senior reliever Matt Kniginyzky came on in the sixth and pitched the final 2.1 innings, surrendering two runs on five hits, walking one while recording strikeouts of six of the seven outs he recorded.

The Panthers struck first with a single tally in the game's opening frame, as senior centerfielder Chris Ramirez doubled down the left-field line and was brought home two pitches later by a single up the middle from junior rightfielder Matt Shorey. Shorey then extended the lead to 4-0 in the third inning, stroking his second home run of the season to right field, a three-run shot.

HPU built the lead to 6-0 in their half of the fourth inning. A leadoff double by sophomore catcher Justin Pinyan was followed by a sacrifice bunt by freshman second baseman Juan Carcheri. Junior leftfielder Anthony Bell was then hit by a pitch before Pinyan scored on a groundout to third base. With Bell on second, Ramirez laid down a bunt single handled by Thoms coming off the mound, then saw Thoms' errant throw to third base go into left field, allowing Bell to score the game's only unearned run.

However, the Keydets would turn the tide after that. After recording two quick outs in the bottom of the fourth, sophomore leftfielder Jacoby Fields worked the count full before delivering with a single up the middle, followed by a bunt single by junior centerfielder B.T. Good. With men on first and second, senior rightfielder Elliott Erbe, battling a 3-for-37 slump, struck with his fourth triple of the season, a shot down the right field line to put the Keydets on the scoreboard. After a pair of walks issued by Schlanger, senior shortstop Matt Smith brought home two more runs with his single to right field, cutting the HPU advantage to 6-4.

The visitors responded in the fifth with one more run, the result of three singles, the last of which by Carcheri that plated senior first baseman Seby Renta. That was all the offense that the Panthers could muster in the final five innings though, as the Keydet bullpen came through to slam the door.

The VMI bats picked up right where they left off in the fifth inning, when Kelly Sweppenhiser doubled just inside of the left field line, recording his only hit of the day in his only official at bat. The Panthers wanted no part of the junior third baseman, who recorded his league-leading 17th double of the season, as he was walked three times and was hit by a pitch in another plate appearance, reaching base in each of the five times he was up.

Crumpler brought Sweppenhiser home with his 10th home run of the season, a one-out shot hit down the left field line to bring the margin to 7-6. After Hollenbeck came on and retired the side in the sixth, freshman second baseman Shane Geisslinger got on with a one-out single to center field, setting the stage for Buchanan. The sophomore backstop liked the first pitch that he saw and crushed his first collegiate home run to left field, setting off a celebration at home plate as the Keydets took their first lead of the game at 8-7.

Hollenbeck continued to mow down the Panthers from there, allowing only a walk in the seventh and a leadoff single in the eighth. Meanwhile, VMI rallied for a pair of runs in the eighth, when sophomore designated hitter Thane Smith delivered his second home run of the season, a leadoff bomb to right field on a 2-2 count. Sweppenhiser was then hit by a pitch on a full count before advancing to third base on a perfectly executed hit-and-run by Crumpler. Three pitches later, Sweppenhiser gave his pitching staff a three-run cushion when he scored on a single through the left side of the infield by Fields.

DeMara then took over in the ninth inning for VMI and was forced to face the heart of the Panther lineup. After getting Shorey, the HPU #3 hitter, to fly out to left field, the senior closer struck out the fourth and fifth hitters to record the win and move the Keydets one win closer to qualifying for the Bojangle's Big South Baseball Championship.

Pacing the VMI offense for the day was Fields, who went 3-for-5 with a double and an RBI, while Matt & Thane Smith, Crumpler, Good and Erbe each had a pair of hits on the day. Crumpler, Erbe, Buchanan and Matt Smith each also had a pair of RBI in the game as well.

For the Panthers offensively, Ramirez went 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles and two runs scored, while Shorey, Renta, Pinyan and Carcheri each had two hits on the day. Shorey finished with four RBI while Pinyan also recorded a double.

A 5-4 win by visiting Radford at Liberty Friday afternoon kept VMI tied with the Highlanders for sixth place in the Big South standings. High Point is one win behind both the Keydets and Highlanders, while a loss tomorrow by HPU would officially eliminate them from qualifying for the tournament. VMI and Radford are scheduled for a season-ending three-game series at Radford next weekend that could determine one of the final qualifying spots for the championship.

VMI and High Point return to action Saturday afternoon, with first pitch for game two scheduled for 1 p.m. at Patchin Field.
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