CONWAY, S.C.? Sophomore hurler Bobby Gagg earned his eighth win of the season by allowing only an unearned run on three hits as #20 Coastal Carolina assured themselves of a series win by taking game two over VMI by a 4-1 score.
The Chanticleers (32-8, 10-1 Big South) pounded out eight hits off of Keydet starter Michael Bowman (6-2), plating four runs, however only two were earned. Bowman was able to stay out of the big inning, as the Chanticleers stranded seven runners in the contest, taking a 2-1 lead with a pair of runs in the second frame, then tacking on single runs in the fourth and seventh innings.
VMI (28-12, 5-6 Big South), while able to only notch four hits in the contest, also had three batters reach on walks, while three more reached by being hit by pitches. However, the Keydets only plated a single unearned run in the second inning, stranding ten runners in all on the afternoon.
“We had our chances to score runs early, and we didn't,” said VMI head coach Marlin Ikenberry. “Coastal is a very good club, probably the best that we've faced all year. I think the difference in the game today was the fact that they manufactured runs when they had the chance and we didn't. I was proud of how Michael Bowman and Corey Bachman threw today, but we've got to find a way to get some runs for our pitching staff.”
For the second straight day, only one Keydet notched multiple hits, as Michael Roberts went 2-for-4 from the sixth-spot in the order. Brian Sandridge and Chad Rice accounted for the team's only other knocks, with Rice driving home Jacoby Fields, who reached on an error, for the team's second-inning tally.
The Chanticleers saw the final two hitters in their order each go 2-for-3, as Tyler Bortnick plated a pair of runs while Adam Vrable notched a double after missing yesterday's game. Tommy Baldridge connected for a double and an RBI as well, with Derek Martin and Dock Doyle also notching two-baggers for the hosts.
Gagg walked the first two batters of the contest before retiring the next three batters to wrap up the first, while Bowman needed only five pitches to record a 1-2-3 bottom of the first. Fields reached on Bortnick's throwing error with one out in the top of the second, then saw Sandridge connect with a flare into rightfield before a Shane Geisslinger sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position with two men down. Rice delivered with a single up the middle to plate Fields, but Gagg struck out Thane Smith to escape the rally trailing only 1-0.
The Chanticleers answered quickly with a rally of their own in the bottom of the inning, with Baldridge's double leading things off, followed by Matt Rademacher's sacrifice bunt. An error charged to Robert Crumpler allowed Doyle to reach base and brought home Baldridge, before Bortnick's base knock two batters later plated Doyle to give the Chanticleers a 2-1 advantage.
Gagg then settled in to set down 12 in a row, while he was given another insurance run in the fourth as Bortnick brought home Doyle again, this time with a sacrifice fly to centerfield. Gagg's streak was interrupted when he hit A.J. Yoder with two men down in the sixth, followed quickly by a two-bagger from Roberts to again put a pair of baserunners into scoring position. But once again, the Keydets came up empty, as Fields grounded out to first base to end the threat.
Coastal tacked on another insurance run in the seventh, as Dom Duggan led off the seventh by reaching on an error by Yoder at third base, then scored two batters later on Baldridge's hot shot to second base against a drawn-in infield, however Geisslinger had to dive to corral the ball and could not make a throw home in time to cut off the run.
Kent Altman came on to set down the middle of the VMI lineup in order in the eighth inning, before Corey Bachman did the same in the bottom of the frame, as he worked the final two innings, retiring each of the six batters he faced.
Facing the Chanticeers' closer for the second straight day in David Anderson, the Keydets led things off as Roberts singled into rightfield, before he was erased on a fielder's choice hit into by Fields. After a strikeout of Sandridge brought the Keydets to their final out, Anderson hit a pair of batters to bring the go-ahead run to the plate in Smith, before grounding out to first base with the bases loaded to end the game.
The Keydets and Chanticleers will play game three on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. at Watson Stadium. The pitching matchup features VMI sophomore Chris Henderson (4-1, 2.96 ERA) slated to face off with Coastal senior John Mariotti (4-0, 3.62 ERA).
