Baseball Falls to Marshall in Game Three, 7-2

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Baseball Falls to Marshall in Game Three, 7-2

LEXINGTON, Va.? Marshall pounded out 14 hits and completed a weekend sweep over VMI with a 7-2 victory in game three of the weekend series at Gray-Minor Stadium. The Thundering Herd improve to 8-6, while VMI falls to 4-12.

Herd cleanup hitter Kurt Lipton drove home four runs despite only one hit on the afternoon, a first-inning double, while centerfielder Nate Lape went 4-for-5 with three runs scored and was thrown out at the plate while trying to score another run. Starter Dan Straily (2-1) picked up the win by scattering five hits and allowing only one unearned run through 6.1 innings, striking out six while walking three.

Keydet starter Chris Henderson (2-2) took the loss by allowing four runs on ten hits, striking out a pair in his 4.2 innings of work. Offensively, Shane Geisslinger and Mike Roberts both had a pair of singles, while A.J. Yoder rapped the team's only extra-base knock, a leadoff double in the eighth inning.

Back-to-back doubles from Lape and Lipton gave the visitors a 1-0 advantage in the first inning after Henderson picked off leadoff man Adam Yeager following a bunt single. The Keydets answered with an unearned run to knot the score in the bottom of the first, as Geisslinger scampered home after Herd catcher Victor Gomez' errant throw to third base in an attempt to pick off the Keydet senior. However, that was all the Keydets could muster after loading the bases, as Straily struck out the next three batters to keep the score tied at one.

The Herd jumped on top again in the third, as Lape singled into rightfield, stole second base and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Lipton picked up the RBI on a groundout to give MU the lead for good.

A fifth-inning rally chased Henderson from the game, as he hit Rowley to leadoff the inning before an infield single from Lape put runners at the corners. Another RBI groundout for Lipton was followed by Brandon Cassamassima's single into rightfield, where Sam Roberts came up throwing upon fielding the ball and threw out Lape at the plate to prevent the second run of the inning.

Travis Smink came on in relief for the Keydets after the play and walked the first batter he faced before Gomez laced a ball down the rightfield line that turned into a two-run triple, giving the Herd a 5-1 advantage.

The Keydets' fought to get back into the game in the eighth, as Yoder doubled to leadoff the inning, and with two outs, scored on a base knock back up the middle by Sam Roberts to cut the margin to 5-2. After a walk and a hit batsman by reliever Tyler Gatrell loaded the bases, the Herd brought in closer Arik Sikula for the third straight day to face pinch-hitter Justin Topping, who struck out swinging to end the rally.

The Herd tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the ninth on Lipton's third RBI groundout of the game and a double from Casamassima before MU reliever Andrew Hancock retired the Keydets 1-2-3 in the ninth.

The Keydets return to action on Wednesday afternoon, traveling to Norfolk to take on Norfolk State in a 3 p.m. start. The game will be broadcast online at www.VMIKeydets.com.
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Players Mentioned

Shane Geisslinger

#2 Shane Geisslinger

IF
5' 8"
Senior
R/R
Chris Henderson

#7 Chris Henderson

RHP
6' 0"
Junior
R/R
Mike Roberts

#6 Mike Roberts

C
6' 2"
Junior
R/R
Sam Roberts

#4 Sam Roberts

IF/OF/P
6' 2"
Freshman
L/R
Travis Smink

#35 Travis Smink

LHP
6' 2"
Redshirt Sophomore
L/L
Justin Topping

#5 Justin Topping

C/OF
5' 11"
Freshman
R/R
A.J. Yoder

#10 A.J. Yoder

IF
5' 11"
Junior
L/R

Players Mentioned

Shane Geisslinger

#2 Shane Geisslinger

5' 8"
Senior
R/R
IF
Chris Henderson

#7 Chris Henderson

6' 0"
Junior
R/R
RHP
Mike Roberts

#6 Mike Roberts

6' 2"
Junior
R/R
C
Sam Roberts

#4 Sam Roberts

6' 2"
Freshman
L/R
IF/OF/P
Travis Smink

#35 Travis Smink

6' 2"
Redshirt Sophomore
L/L
LHP
Justin Topping

#5 Justin Topping

5' 11"
Freshman
R/R
C/OF
A.J. Yoder

#10 A.J. Yoder

5' 11"
Junior
L/R
IF