Baseball?s Win Streak Ends at Five With 5-3 Loss to VCU

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Baseball?s Win Streak Ends at Five With 5-3 Loss to VCU

LEXINGTON, Va.? Michael Cheatham and Chris Jackson had two RBIs each to lead a balanced VCU attack past VMI 5-3 in non-conference baseball action on Tuesday evening at Gray-Minor Stadium.

The Rams (7-19) grabbed a 4-0 lead off of Keydet starter Ryan Barefoot (1-1), who worked the game's opening four-plus innings, surrendering eight hits. VMI (15-16) rallied in both the seventh and eighth to bring the tying run to third base, but could not bring him home as Aaron Morgan worked the final three innings to collect his second save of the year, blanking the Keydets on one hit.

The win went to VCU starter Ian Thomas (1-2), who shutout the Keydets through the first four innings, allowing only three hits.

Barefoot escaped harm in each of the first two innings before VCU struck for two runs in the third. Cheatham led off the third with his first home run of the season, while an error and a pair of walks loaded the bases with no outs. Barefoot managed to once again avoid a big inning, however, retiring the next three batters while allowing another run to score on Jackson's fielder's choice, as the Rams took a 2-0 lead into the home third.

VCU doubled the margin over the next two innings, with Cheatham driving home his second run of the day on a fourth-inning double, while Jackson's sacrifice fly in the fifth pushed the lead to 4-0.

A.J. Yoder greeted VCU reliever Phillip Deane by launching his second home run of the season to lead off the fifth inning. Trailing 4-1, the Keydets managed a pair of runs in the seventh, with Mike Roberts' pinch-hit single and Alex Haitsuka's double play ball providing the scoring. Yoder was left stranded at third, however, when Shane Geisslinger flew out to end the threat.

Leadoff man Sam Roberts began the eighth by reaching second base after a strikeout when VCU backstop Eric Curtis threw the ball down the right field line. A sacrifice bunt moved him to third base with one out, but Morgan responded with back-to-back strikeouts to once again quell the Keydet rally.

VMI reliever Daniel Wood allowed his only run in the ninth, an unearned tally that came about after he retired the first 14 batters that he faced. Richard Gonzalez scored on the last of four VMI errors in the contest, this one a misplayed grounder on Geisslinger at second base. Wood finished the night without giving up a hit, working five innings, striking out two while walking only one. Keydet relievers have now worked 11.2 innings without allowing a hit.

Cheatham led the way with his 2-for-5 night with a double, a home run and two RBI. Jackson went 1-for-3 with two RBIs, while Gonzalez scored twice for the Rams.

The Keydets return to action on Wednesday evening, traveling to Farmville for the first time since 1980 to take on Longwood at 6 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

Ryan Barefoot

#21 Ryan Barefoot

SS/RHP
6' 4"
Freshman
R/R
Shane Geisslinger

#2 Shane Geisslinger

IF
5' 8"
Senior
R/R
Alex Haitsuka

#28 Alex Haitsuka

C/OF
6' 3"
Freshman
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
Daniel Wood

#13 Daniel Wood

LHP
6' 3"
Redshirt Sophomore
L/L
A.J. Yoder

#10 A.J. Yoder

IF
5' 11"
Junior
L/R

Players Mentioned

Ryan Barefoot

#21 Ryan Barefoot

6' 4"
Freshman
R/R
SS/RHP
Shane Geisslinger

#2 Shane Geisslinger

5' 8"
Senior
R/R
IF
Alex Haitsuka

#28 Alex Haitsuka

6' 3"
Freshman
R/R
C/OF
Mike Roberts

#6 Mike Roberts

6' 2"
Junior
R/R
C
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
A.J. Yoder

#10 A.J. Yoder

5' 11"
Junior
L/R
IF