Winthrop Takes Series Opener Over VMI, 11-3

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Winthrop Takes Series Opener Over VMI, 11-3

LEXINGTON, Va.? Winthrop jumped out to an early lead and never looked back in taking game one of a Big South Conference series 11-3 at Gray-Minor Stadium on Friday night. The Eagles (10-15, 1-0 Big South) claimed their seventh win in eight outings, as the Keydets (9-14, 3-1 Big South) fall for only the second time in their last seven games.

Eagle starter Ryan Schwartz (3-2) scattered nine hits while allowing two runs through 6.1 innings. The visitors chased Keydet senior starter Trey Barham (2-3) from the game in the fifth inning after he allowed five runs on eight hits in four-plus frames, leaving the contest trailing 5-0.

“They're a pretty good offensive team, and I thought they did a nice job on Trey,” said VMI head coach Marlin Ikenberry. “They got up on us early and their pitchers did a nice job of pitching against us. We had some chances late in the game to put together some big innings and they held us down in those opportunities. But that's why you play a series, to come back out and get after them tomorrow.”

Barham worked out of trouble in the second and third innings, surrendering single runs while the Eagles stranded a pair in each frame. His luck ran out in the fifth inning, as back-to-back singles to leadoff the inning were followed by a three-run home run off the bat of Billy Froehlich to push the Eagles in front 5-0 and chase Barham from the contest.

Keydet reliever Ryan Barefoot recorded a pair of strikeouts while retiring the first three Eagles he faced to close out the fifth before the Eagles tacked on two more runs in the sixth. Though both marks against the freshman were earned, a pair of Keydet errors did not help the cause in the sixth, as Eddie Tisdale's single brought home the first run and Kevin Nolan's sacrifice fly plated Tisdale in the next at bat.

The Keydets plated a single run but left a pair of runners on base in both the sixth and seventh innings, when Shane Geisslinger scored the team's first run in the sixth and drove home Sam Roberts to cut the margin to 7-2 in the seventh.

After the Eagles answered with two runs against Daniel Wood in the eighth, VMI's Thane Smith hit his first home run of the season, a leadoff shot to right-centerfield off of Eagle reliever Matteo D'Angelo. Josh McPherson came on to work the ninth for the Keydets, surrendering two more runs on three hits.

Froehlich paced the offensive attack for Joe Hudak's bunch, going 2-for-5 with four RBI and his fourth four-bagger of the year. Bryn Henderson went 3-for-6 with two runs scored from the leadoff spot in the Eagle order, while shortstop Kevin Nolan went 3-for-5 with an RBI.

Sam Roberts' 2-for-4 evening included his third and fourth doubles of the season, while Geisslinger and Ballard each went 2-for-4 with a run driven in for the Keydets in a losing cause.

In a game that had seven pitchers work and surrender 14 runs and 26 hits, a walk was never issued. The Keydets, however, did hit four batters while striking out eight, while the Eagles struck out five.

VMI and Winthrop will play game two Saturday at Gray-Minor Stadium. Gametime is 4:00 p.m.
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Players Mentioned

Ryan Barefoot

#21 Ryan Barefoot

SS/RHP
6' 4"
Freshman
R/R
Trey Barham

#8 Trey Barham

LHP
6' 0"
Senior
L/L
Shane Geisslinger

#2 Shane Geisslinger

IF
5' 8"
Senior
R/R
Josh McPherson

#27 Josh McPherson

RHP
6' 4"
Sophomore
R/R
Sam Roberts

#4 Sam Roberts

IF/OF/P
6' 2"
Freshman
L/R
Daniel Wood

#13 Daniel Wood

LHP
6' 3"
Redshirt Sophomore
L/L

Players Mentioned

Ryan Barefoot

#21 Ryan Barefoot

6' 4"
Freshman
R/R
SS/RHP
Trey Barham

#8 Trey Barham

6' 0"
Senior
L/L
LHP
Shane Geisslinger

#2 Shane Geisslinger

5' 8"
Senior
R/R
IF
Josh McPherson

#27 Josh McPherson

6' 4"
Sophomore
R/R
RHP
Sam Roberts

#4 Sam Roberts

6' 2"
Freshman
L/R
IF/OF/P
Daniel Wood

#13 Daniel Wood

6' 3"
Redshirt Sophomore
L/L
LHP