RICHMOND, Va. ? A five-run sixth inning proved the difference as Richmond scored a 10-4 win over VMI on Tuesday afternoon in non-conference baseball action at Pitt Field. The win for the Spiders (5-0) ends a seven-game win streak in the series by the Keydets (1-4).
With the Keydets ahead 4-2 on home runs by Brian Sandridge and Tanner Biagini, the Spiders posted a big inning in the sixth. The Spiders pounded out five hits in the frame, however, the Keydets aided the rally with three errors, two wild pitches and a walk.
“We didn't pitch or play defense today, and it's hard to win when you don't do those two things,” said VMI head coach Marlin Ikenberry. “We had two throwing errors that we work on every day in their big inning. They tacked on some runs late, where our bullpen didn't hold them. We have to eliminate the big inning, and we didn't do that today.”
Pacing the Spider offense was Adam McConnell, who went 4-for-4 with two doubles and three RBI, while Cameron Brown went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI. Mike Mergenthaler, meanwhile, went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI.
The Keydets had A.J. Yoder post a 3-for-4 day at the plate, while Biagini and Sandridge each collected their first round-trippers of the season.
The win went to Spider reliever Josh Horn (2-0), who allowed three hits through 2.1 innings. Keydet hurler Adam Kruithof (0-1) took the loss in his first appearance of the season, allowing two runs while not recording an out.
Keydet starter Jeremy Brown scattered six hits through four-plus innings, allowing only two runs, one earned, while striking out seven.
“I thought that Jeremy Brown did a nice job in his first collegiate start,” said Ikenberry. “He was a little nervous in the first inning, which is expected. But he settled down and did a nice job of settling down and getting us into the ballgame, and even left with a lead in the fifth.”
The Keydets committed six errors on the afternoon, however, they led to only one unearned run for the Spiders.
VMI returns to action this weekend, taking on Youngstown State at Gray-Minor Stadium in a 3 p.m. start.
