Baseball 4/12/2008 12:00:00 AM VMIKeydets.com

Baseball Splits Doubleheader Against UNC Asheville

ASHEVILLE, N.C.? After dropping the first game of a weekend, Big South series to UNC Asheville, 8-5, VMI fought back to win the second game of the series, 7-4. Each of the games were played at McCormick Field, while Sunday's rubber game is slated for Greenwood Field at 1 p.m.

Game one of the series was suspended in the top of the first inning on Friday night, with the game still scoreless. That set the scene for Saturday's action, as VMI (16-17, 8-3 Big South) and UNCA (14-23, 2-6 Big South) played 17-plus innings with a half-hour break in between the games in less than six hours.

The opener was won by UNCA's Michael Boagert (5-3), who came on to start Saturday's proceedings. He hurled six innings while allowing nine hits and four runs, though only two were earned as the Bulldogs made six errors. VMI starter Trey Barham (2-4) surrendered six runs on 11 hits in taking the loss. Justin Schumer came on to record his fifth save of the season for UNCA, working the final two innings while allowing only an unearned run on one hit.

VMI's Chris Henderson (5-3) picked up the win in game two, scattering five hits through seven innings while allowing three runs, two earned as VMI made four errors in the game. Bulldog starter Alan DeRatt (6-1), who started game one on Friday night, took his first loss of the season despite allowing only four unearned runs through six innings. Travis Smink came on to work the final two innings, earning his fourth save of the season despite allowing one run on three hits.

The Bulldogs jumped on top with two runs in the bottom of the first inning of game one, including a first-pitch, leadoff home run by Kevin Mattison. The Keydets responded to take the lead in the fourth inning, when a pair of errors on a fielder's choice hit by Sam Roberts gave VMI a 3-2 advantage. After VMI built a 4-2 lead on Justin Hess' RBI double in the fifth, the Bulldogs began their surge.

UNCA had their leadoff men in both the fifth and sixth innings score to tie the game, when Mattison doubled and scored on Reed Kreiser's sacrifice fly in the fifth, before Schumer led off the sixth with a home run. With two outs in the seventh, Kreiser, the Big South's leader in home runs, cranked his tenth of the season, a two-run shot to put UNCA in front for good.

With the lead 6-4 in favor of UNCA, the Keydets rallied in the top of the eighth. With runners at second and third and one out, Tanner Biagini reached on a fielding error that cut the lead to one, but Schumer responded to retire the next two men to end the rally. UNCA tacked on two more insurance runs in the home eighth to bring the final margin to 8-5.

VMI took advantage of two Bulldog errors in the second inning after DeRatt retired the first five batters the he faced. A throwing error at second base was the first of five consecutive batters to reach base, as Thane Smith drove home a pair with a single into center field, while Sam Roberts plated another with his two-bagger into left field.

Mattison's second home run of the day, this one to lead off the home sixth, cut the VMI lead to 4-2. The Keydets bounced back with two insurance runs in the eighth inning off of reliever Taylor Wohlwend, when A.J. Yoder's single through the right-side plated one before a squeeze bunt executed by Justin Hess brought the lead to 6-2.

UNCA scored an unearned run in the home eighth off of Henderson, who at one point on the day retired nine in a row and 14 of 16. Smink came on to record the final six outs for VMI, as UNCA brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth. Mattison, however, flew out to left field on the first pitch he saw to end the game and split the series.

The Bulldogs were led offensively on the day by Mattison, who went 3-for-9 with two home runs, and by Schumer, who went 3-for-8 with two RBI and a home run. VMI was paced by Jordan Ballard, who went 4-for-8 with two runs scored, while Geisslinger, Smith, Hess and Sandridge each had three hits in the twinbill.

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