CLINTON, S.C.- VMI rallied with three runs in the seventh inning and two more in the eighth to score a 12-10 win over Presbyterian in Big South Conference action at the PC Baseball Complex on Sunday afternoon. The win gives the Keydets (8-8, 2-0 Big South) a sweep of the rain-shortened, two-game weekend series against the Blue Hose (2-12, 0-5).
Trailing 8-7 after six innings in a cold rain, the Keydets tied the game in the seventh when Sam Roberts' single up the middle plated Tanner Biagini. George Piccirilli followed suit with a knock into right field to score Roberts, before pinch-runner Justin Topping gave VMI a 10-8 lead by scoring on a wild pitch.
Topping delivered again in the eighth, as his two-run single advanced the lead to 12-8. Those runs loomed large, as PC rallied with two runs in the bottom of the eighth, before Roberts struck out the final two hitters, ending the eighth with VMI ahead, 12-10.
The field conditions were then ruled unplayable to continue on to the ninth inning, giving the Keydets a series sweep on opening weekend in Big South play for the third-straight season.
Reliever Matt Edwards (2-0) earned the win for the Keydets despite allowing two runs on four hits in two innings. Jordan Pace took the loss (0-2), as the only batter he faced, Roberts, came around to score the Keydets' go-ahead run. Roberts then collected his first save of the season, striking out two of the three batters he faced.
At the plate for VMI, senior A.J. Yoder extended his career-long hitting streak to 13 games, going 2-for-5 with a double and an RBI. Biagini and Roberts contributed two hits each, while Roberts, Topping and Alex Haitsuka each chipped in a pair of RBI.
The Blue Hose were paced by Zac Rhinesmith, who slugged his first home run of the season, going 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI. Leadoff man Jesse Harmon went 3-for-5 with a triple and two RBI, while Cory Lyda was 2-for-3 with two runs knocked in.
The Keydets committed three errors in the early innings, leading to four unearned runs for the Blue Hose. On the flip side, two PC errors gave VMI three unearned runs early on.
After opening the season 1-6, the Keydets have now won seven of their last nine. VMI looks to move above .500 for the first time this season on Tuesday, playing the first in a two-game series at Virginia Tech, with game time set for 5:30 p.m. at English Field.
