HIGH POINT, N.C.- VMI rallied for three runs in the top of the ninth to take a one-run lead, but High Point did them one better as a walk-off double by backup catcher Justin Pinyan gave the Panthers a series-clinching 6-5 win in Big South Conference action on Saturday afternoon at Erath Field.
HPU (17-20, 8-3 Big South) won their third straight conference series on a day where VMI (20-12, 2-6 Big South) pitchers surrendered only seven hits, yet walked seven and hit three batters. Each of the three hit batsmen came around to score, as the Panthers left nine men on base, compared to VMI's 11.
“I thought our kids played great today,” said VMI head coach Marlin Ikenberry. “It's unfortunate that we couldn't get the win. (Starter) Michael Bowman threw great except for the first inning, and J.J. Hollenbeck came in and put us in a position to win the game. It was a tough loss, but we have many more conference games to play, and if we come out with the same focus and intensity, we'll be in position to win a lot of these games.”
A three-run homer by Mark Shorey gave the Panthers a first-inning lead for the second straight day before an out had been recorded. Bowman then settled down to allow only one more hit over the next 5.2 innings in notching his longest career outing.
Despite putting runners on base in every inning, the Keydets could not scratch across a run until the sixth inning, as Mike Roberts led off the inning with a single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, then scored on a double down the left-field line by Klint Reed. Reed then scored two batters later, when Shane Geisslinger was caught in a rundown on a stolen base attempt long enough to allow Reed to cut the lead to 3-2.
With two outs recorded in the bottom of the sixth inning, Bowman issued his fourth walk of the day. That would mark the final batter he faced, as J.J. Hollenbeck entered the contest. Two more walks loaded the bases in the sixth, before Dustin Holtzman's fielder's choice to the shortstop ended the rally.
HPU's Bubba O'Donnell, who relieved Matt Christie with two outs in the sixth, retired six straight batters following a leadoff walk in the seventh inning. Meanwhile, the Panthers pushed across an insurance run with two outs in the eighth, when Matt Gantner's single to left field brought home Billy Aguiar.
With O'Donnell on the mound in the ninth, A.J. Yoder led off the frame by being hit by a pitch, followed by a single to rightfield by Geisslinger. Two pitches later, Chad Rice hit a shot back to O'Donnell, who tried to get the forceout at third base. However, the tag was not applied, as the bases were loaded for Kelly Sweppenhiser with no outs.
Sweppenhiser then brought home the first run of the inning on a fielder's choice to the shortstop, before Robert Crumpler tied the game with his RBI single to centerfield, a hit that would chase O'Donnell from the contest.
Chris Marks (4-3) was brought into the contest with runners at first and second base with one out in a tied game. He surrendered a single to the next batter, Jacoby Fields, that gave the Keydets their first lead of the game at 5-4. The bases were again loaded two batters later when B.T. Good was hit by a pitch, but VMI could not push across another, leaving three more stranded headed to the bottom of the ninth.
A leadoff single from Alfie Wheeler would lead to Hollenbeck leaving the game in favor of Fields (0-3). Fields then hit the first batter he faced before inducing a flyout to centerfield. A four-pitch walk issued to HPU's Mark Shorey moved each runner up a base, setting the stage for Pinyan's double, his first of the season in only 13 at bats.
Pacing VMI offensivlely was Chad Rice, who went 3-for-5, along with Crumpler and Reed, who each went 2-for-5 in the loss. For High Point, only Wheeler, hitting in the nine-hole, collected multiple hits, doing so with his 2-for-4 day.
The Keydets and Panthers will wrap up the weekend series on Sunday afternoon, with first pitch scheduled at 1 p.m.
