LEXINGTON, Va.? It was another team effort on Sunday afternoon, as the VMI baseball team won its seventh straight game with a 9-7 victory against Maryland-Eastern Shore on Sunday afternoon at Gray-Minor Stadium. The win not only marked a second-straight series sweep for the Keydets, but set a new standard for the best start in program history as the team improves to 12-3 on the season.
The Hawks fell to 2-13 on the year despite Jamar Cadejuste's complete-game effort on the mound, during which he surrendered only five earned runs on 12 hits in eight innings. A majority of those came early, as the hosts jumped out to a 6-0 lead through two innings before seeing a five-run eighth inning by the visitors complicate matters. But sophomore Kevin Crum came on to record the final four outs, recording his ninth save of the season, extending his school-record total.
“Our offense did a great job of getting us on top early this afternoon,” said VMI head coach Marlin Ikenberry. “It was a shame that Chris Duty got a blister, he was throwing well. But we didn't want to push things this close to conference play. Plus, we had a full bullpen and we wanted to get guys some work. We wanted to get Will Smith and Robert Crumpler some innings, and unfortunately it backfired a little bit, but credit UMES for battling back. But this is the time we wanted to get those questions answered, before we get into conference play. Both of those guys will see innings down the road for us. I was very impressed with their left-hander, he pitched a full eight innings today. The bottom of our lineup did a nice job, and I was happy with how hard our guys played all day.”
The senior class led the way for the Keydets offensively, accounting for six of the team's 12 hits as well as five runs scored and five RBI. Jacoby Fields collected a team-high three RBI, going 3-for-4 with a bases-clearing, first-inning double and a pair of singles in the latter innings. Robert Crumpler went 2-for-2 with a double and a home run while reaching base on each of his five plate appearances, while Chad Rice hit his second home run of the season to lead off the second inning. For the visitors, Derrick Baker went 2-for-4 with a two-run single to bring the score to 9-7 in the eighth inning, while Justin Hoban and Joel Gonzalez each had a pair of hits as well.
VMI picked up where they left off yesterday in the first inning, pounding out four unearned runs, with Thomas Hayden's bases-loaded plunking and Fields' three-run double to right-centerfield accounting for the RBI. Rice's leadoff home run in the second inning made the score 5-0, while Eddie Van Es' fielder's choice plated A.J. Yoder after a one-out double to bring the score to 6-0.
VMI starting pitcher Chris Duty left the game after two innings after allowing only a two-out single to Gonzalez in the first inning. On in relief was Corey Bachman, who surrendered a pair of runs in the third inning, one earned, as Josh Dean collected the inning's lone RBI. But Bachman received more run support, as the Keydets tacked on single runs in the fourth, on an RBI single by Hayden, and in the sixth on Crumpler's third home run of the season.
Chris Henderson shut out the Hawks in the fifth and sixth frames, allowing only one hit while striking out two batters. He gave way to Will Smith, who was making his first career collegiate appearance on the mound with a 9-2 lead to begin the eighth inning. Smith retired the first batter he faced, as Justin Hess, in as a defensive replacement at second base, snared a line drive off the bat of Eric Gaines. But Dean hit a single through the left-side of the infield, followed by a hit batsman before Hoban's single to leftfield made the score 9-3 with a pair of runners on. A walk to load the bases ended Smith's day, as Crumpler came on from first base to try to finish the inning. Another walk issued to Tyler Winch brought home the inning's second run, before an RBI groundout from James Walls left a pair of runners in scoring position with two outs in a 9-5 ballgame. Another walk loaded the bases for Baker, who delivered with a full-count blooper to centerfield, plating two more and making the game 9-7. That hit forced Ikenberry to bring on Crum, the Big South's leader in saves. Working to his first batter, Crum delivered a 2-1 pitch to Gaines that he attempted to bunt on, as Winch, now at third base, ventured too far down the line, drawing a throw from catcher Robert Lamas. As Winch sprinted home, third baseman Tanner Biagini threw back to Lamas, who tagged out Winch to end the rally and keep the score at 9-7.
Despite loading the bases, the Keydets were unable to tack on any insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth, as Crum was forced to bat as the Keydets' designated hitter slot had been used in the pitching changes. Cadejuste notched his fourth strikeout of the day to escape the jam, giving the Hawks one last chance at Crum in the ninth.
But Crum exacted his revenge, as he led off the inning with a pair of strikeouts before Gonzalez's double down the leftfield-line brought the tying run to the plate. Hoban harmlessly grounded out to second base, handing VMI their ninth victory in ten tries at Gray-Minor Stadium.
With the win, Ikenberry now stands as the second-winningest manager in VMI baseball history, as his 92nd win moves him one past current VMI Athletic Director Donny White.
The Keydets will hit the road for their next nine games, taking on #13 Auburn on both Tuesday and Wednesday evenings in Alabama. Each game is slated for a 7 p.m. Eastern start, while each of the team's next nine road games can be heard online at www.VMIKeydets.com.
