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Baseball Establishes New School Record For Wins; Qualifies for Big South Baseball Championship With Wins in Games One and Two over Radford

RADFORD, Va.- The VMI baseball team had to wait a little longer than expected, but eventually won the series opener against Radford by a 6-0 count before taking game two of the weekend series by a 5-4 count. With the pair of wins, VMI improves to 27-25 and 11-12 in the Big South, while Radford falls to 13-38 and 7-16 in the league.

The first win of the day came after play being suspended on Friday afternoon with the Keydets holding a 5-0 advantage in the seventh inning. When play resumed today, VMI tacked on another run in the seventh and held on as junior J.J. Hollenbeck picked up his first save of the year. In game two, an RBI single by sophomore Robert Crumpler brought home the game-winning run in the ninth inning, giving the Keydets the series win and their sixth consecutive victory overall.

VMI's game one victory was a milestone win, as the Keydets established a new school record for wins in a season, along with clinching not only a berth in the 2005 Bojangle's Big South Baseball Championship, but the fifth seed in the six-team tournament as well. Radford must win Sunday's finale and see Charleston Southern lose to Liberty to secure the sixth-spot in the Championship.

“Today was a great day for VMI baseball,” said Keydet head coach Marlin Ikenberry. “For us to come back with the suspended game, and win a close one in the ninth really shows what this team is made of. It's always big to win in-state games, and for us to win the weekend on Saturday is huge. As far as qualifying for the tournament, we're all real excited about locking up the number-five seed, our guys have worked extremely hard to get us to this position. Everyone is excited to make our first appearance in the Big South Championship, especially after a year that has seen us break the school record for wins. We're very excited to have done it, especially with the schedule that this team has faced. This is the second time our seniors have broken the school record for wins, which really shows where our program has come from in the last few years.”

The completion of game one on Saturday afternoon saw Radford reliever Brett Smith hit junior outfielder B.T. Good, who was at the plate when play was suspended on Friday afternoon, setting the stage for senior outfielder Elliott Erbe's RBI double, advancing the VMI lead to 6-0.

From there, Hollenbeck surrendered only one hit in the final three innings, baring down as the Keydet defense made a pair of errors that allowed runners to reach base. Senior starter Jimmy Thoms (6-5) earned the win, as he surrendered only four hits in six innings of work, retiring six of the first seven batters he faced, then retiring eight consecutive hitters between singles by RU centerfielder Steve Mignogna. The combined shutout by Thoms & Hollenbeck is the team's third of the season and first this year that either of the two have appeared in.

Game two was a much tougher game, one that the Keydets would have to pull out in the ninth inning. VMI manufactured a run in the top of the first when leadoff hitter Matt Smith walked, moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt, then stole third base before Crumpler drove him home with a single through the left-side of the infield.

That is how it would remain until the Highlanders tied the game in the fifth before jumping out to a 4-1 lead in the sixth inning. Senior starter Duke Acors was chased from the game in the sixth, as he was tagged for all four runs in five-plus innings, allowing seven hits while striking out five. He gave way to Hollenbeck, who pitched two full innings, allowing four hits but no runs while striking out three.

But VMI would respond in the seventh, with a three-spot of their own thanks to RBI singles by Smith, Crumpler and Jacoby Fields. However, the Keydets left the bases loaded in the inning, when RU reliever Cory Koliscak struck out Good to end the rally and leave the score knotted at four.

The bottom of the seventh inning saw Radford threaten before Erbe came up with the defensive play of the game, as he caught a fly ball in right field for the second out of the inning before firing a strike home to nail Kellen Woholford, who was attempted to score after tagging from third base.

After neither team could score in the eighth inning, the visitors led off the ninth with another walk from Smith. Again, Smith moved to second base after a sacrifice hit by Thane Smith, then moved to third base on a wild pitch. Crumpler then came up with the big hit, a single to left field that brought home the go-ahead run.

Senior closer Jeff DeMara then came out for his second inning of work, allowing only one hit before recording the final out to improve his record to 6-2.

After a 2-for-3 outing with two RBI in game one, Crumpler came back with a 3-for-5 day with three RBI to again lead the VMI offense. In game one, Erbe and Matt Smith each had a pair of hits, while Erbe also had two RBI as well.

The Keydets and Highlanders wrap up the regular season Sunday afternoon, with first pitch scheduled at 1 p.m. at Dedmon Center Park. A win on Sunday would guarantee the Keydets a winning record at the end of the season, while they have already wrapped up a winning regular season. As the fifth-seed in the Big South Championship, VMI will play their opening round game at 3 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon in Conway, S.C. against the loser of Sunday's Winthrop-Coastal Carolina game, being played in Rock Hill, S.C.
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