NORFOLK, Va.? It took a heroic effort from VMI starting pitcher Chris Henderson, as the 30th-ranked VMI baseball team won its first decision since 1979 against the Old Dominion Monarchs by a 3-1 count on Wednesday evening in non-conference action at the Bud Metheny Baseball Complex. The Keydets improved to 17-4 as they continue the best start in school history, while ODU falls to 16-11 on the season.
Henderson (Fredericksburg, Va./Colonial Forge) hurled a career-best 8.1 innings, surrendering only five hits and a first-inning run to collect his first win of the season. Henderson (1-1) was followed by sophomore closer Kevin Crum, who needed only five pitches to record a 4-6-3 double play for his 13th save of the season, as he continues to lead the nation in that category. The win is the first in 20 tries for the Keydets against the Monarchs, and is believed to be VMI's first-ever win against ODU in Norfolk.
The Keydets posted single runs in each of the first three innings of the game, as Robert Crumpler, Thomas Hayden and Tanner Biagini each collected two-out hits to give Henderson all the offense he needed. Taking the loss for the Monarchs was Dexter Carter (0-3), who worked seven innings, allowing 11 hits and those three runs, striking out eight Keydets while walking only one.
“I thought we had some great at bats early, and had some big two-out hits to set the tone early,” said VMI head coach Marlin Ikenberry. “Their guy settled in nicely after the third inning, but Chris Henderson did a great job of keeping them off-balance all night. Tonight was probably the best that I've seen him pitch, and I was very proud of how we competed on the road once again.”
Chad Rice led off the game with a double to extend his hitting streak to 13 games, as he came around to score the game's first run on Crumpler's double down the leftfield-line. The Monarchs quickly answered to tie the game up in the bottom of the first, as Chris Keenan led off with a base knock before scoring on an infield single by David Burns three batters later.
But the Keydets again responded to take a 2-1 lead in the second inning, as Roberts led things off with a single to rightfield then advanced to second base on the rightfielder's error. Biagini then followed with a base knock to rightfield, plating Roberts to give the Keydets the advantage. An inning later, Crumpler scored after hitting his second double of the game on Hayden's rightfield-single for the teams' third two-out RBI of the game.
Armed with a 3-1 advantage, Henderson settled in and let his defense work behind him, as Yoder and Rice up the middle combined for four double plays in the final seven innings. Henderson, whose previous career-long start of 4.0 innings came over a year ago, threw only 101 pitches while striking out three in the team's longest outing by a starting pitcher this season.
No Monarch had more than one hit in the game, with Belcher collecting the team's only extra base hit, a two-bagger.
The Keydets return to action on Friday evening, as they begin a three-game Big South Conference series against Winthrop in Rock Hill, S.C. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. at the Winthrop Ballpark.
