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Baseball 5/17/2008 12:00:00 AM VMIKeydets.com

Baseball Clinches Third Seed With 10-2 Win Over Charleston Southern

LEXINGTON, Va.? VMI clinched the third seed in next week's Big South Championship with a 10-2 win over Charleston Southern on Saturday evening at Gray-Minor Stadium.

The Keydets (28-24, 13-7 Big South), who also clinched the series against the Bucs (18-33, 6-14 Big South), scored double-digit runs in back-to-back games for the first time this season in support of starter Trey Barham, who improved to 4-5 this season and 22-16 in his career.

Barham scattered seven hits and two runs over six innings, striking out seven while walking four. He gave way to Travis Smink, who picked up a three-inning save, allowing only two hits while striking out three.

CSU starter Anthony Markham (4-6) took the loss, despite seven of the eight runs he allowed being unearned. The Bucs made a season-high six errors behind the right-hander, including five by freshman shortstop Taylor Black.

Sam Roberts and Jordan Ballard each had two hits and three RBIs to lead the Keydet offense, while A.J. Yoder scored a run to go along with his single and triple. Shane Geisslinger, already leading the team in both departments, managed three runs and a stolen base while going 1-for-4.

After accounting for each of their three runs on Friday night on solo home runs, CSU hit another in the fourth inning to spoil the shutout, this time off the bat of Steve Antolik. Mark Perry, Tom Burkett and Jake Cox each had two singles in the contest, with Perry scoring the Bucs' second run of the game in the fifth on a Kory Morian double.

The Bucs escaped unharmed after a two-out error in the home first, but saw the Keydets bat around in the second thanks to two errors. That led to five unearned runs for VMI, who tacked on two more unearned tallies in the fifth to take a 7-2 lead on Sam Roberts' two-run double.

The Keydets and Bucs wrap up the regular season on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. at Gray-Minor Stadium. Prior to the game, VMI will honor its four seniors in Geisslinger, Barham, Thane Smith and Matt Murrer, who is slated to start Sunday's contest on the mound.

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Players Mentioned

#26 Jordan Ballard: IF; 6' 3"; Sophomore; R/R

#8 Trey Barham: LHP; 6' 0"; Senior; L/L

#2 Shane Geisslinger: IF; 5' 8"; Senior; R/R

#4 Sam Roberts: IF/OF/P; 6' 2"; Freshman; L/R

#35 Travis Smink: LHP; 6' 2"; Redshirt Sophomore; L/L

#10 A.J. Yoder: IF; 5' 11"; Junior; L/R

Players Mentioned

#26 Jordan Ballard
: 6' 3"; Sophomore; R/R
: IF

#8 Trey Barham
: 6' 0"; Senior; L/L
: LHP

#2 Shane Geisslinger
: 5' 8"; Senior; R/R
: IF

#4 Sam Roberts
: 6' 2"; Freshman; L/R
: IF/OF/P

#35 Travis Smink
: 6' 2"; Redshirt Sophomore; L/L
: LHP

#10 A.J. Yoder
: 5' 11"; Junior; L/R
: IF