DANVILLE, Va. ? No. 1 seed Coastal Carolina scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth to break a 1-1 tie as the Chanticleers eliminated No. 3 seed VMI from the 2008 Royal Purple Big South Baseball Championship with a 3-1win on Thursday afternoon at Dan Daniel Memorial Park in Danville, Va.
Keydet starter Trey Barham (Portsmouth, Va./Greenbrier Christian), was tagged with the hard-luck loss, working 7.2 innings, allowing six hits and three runs (one earned) in one of the finest performances of his career. The senior left-hander wraps up his career as VMI's all-time leader in wins and strikeouts, and is the only Keydet hurler to rank in the top five in career wins, strikeouts, ERA and innings pitched.
Barham (4-6) allowed a first inning run on back-to-back doubles by David Anderson and Dock Doyle.
The Keydets rallied to give Barham a clean slate in the fourth, tying the game back at one when Jordan Ballard singled back up the middle to plate Tanner Biagini. Coastal starter Bobby Gagg permitted nothing further, however, stranding two Keydets on base in the fourth.
Gagg's day was done after six innings, allowing one run on seven hits in his first appearance since May 2. He was relieved by Joey Haug, against whom the Keydets rallied in the seventh.
Shane Geisslinger was hit by a pitch with one out and reached second on Sam Roberts' single to left. The next batter, Mike Roberts, singled to right field. Geisslinger raced around third and headed for home with the go-ahead score, but Coastal right fielder Tommy Baldridge threw him out with a perfect throw at the plate. Biagini then flied out to end the inning.
It remained 1-1 in the eighth, when Barham plunked Coastal's Scott Woodward with one out. After Anderson flied out, Woodward stole second to move into scoring position. Doyle and Adam Rice both walked to load the bases, and Barham was lifted for left-handed reliever Travis Smink. Baldridge then reached on a fielding error by VMI shortstop A.J. Yoder, which allowed both Woodward and Doyle to score with the deciding runs.
In the ninth inning, Pete Andrelczyk entered the game for the Chanticleers and recorded a strikeout and two ground outs to earn the save. Haug allowed no runs and two hits in his two innings of work. He was credited with his sixth victory of the year.
At the plate, Doyle and David Sappelt each had two hits for Coastal. Mike Roberts and Ballard also recorded two hits on the day for VMI. Barham tossed 7.2 innings and permitted six hits, three runs (one earned) and walked three, while fanning seven batters.
The contest marked the final game for seniors Barham, Geisslinger, Thane Smith and Matt Murrer. Over the past four season, VMI has won 120 games, making Barham and Geisslinger the winningest four-year senior class in school history.
VMI Head Coach Marlin Ikenberry
“That's a tough way to end your season, especially with a guy like Trey Barham out there on the mound. He competed his tail off for eight innings, and it's just unfortunate that we have to end our season like we did. They're the best team that we've played all year, and I thought we had them on the ropes. If a couple more plays go our way, then we win the ballgame. I was proud of the way our seniors played today, Shane (Geisslinger) and Trey (Barham) laid it all on the line just like they've been doing for the last four seasons.”
Coastal Carolina Head Coach Gary Gilmore
“I thought we pitched extremely well, but I thought they pitched great as well. I take my hat off to Trey Barham. Obviously, I haven't seen him in every outing, but that was the best lengthy outing he's ever pitched against us. We just didn't have good swings. We didn't hit a whole lot of balls off the barrel. I thought we played great defense in the infield. Derek (Martin) made several good plays. Tyler (Bortnick) made some good plays. We'll see. In this game, when you play long enough, you have to learn how to win always. You can't score 20 runs every day.”
