LEXINGTON, Va.- Six VMI errors led to seven unearned runs as the Keydets fell, 9-4, to UNC Asheville on Sunday afternoon at Gray-Minor Stadium. VMI (10-11, 4-1 Big South) fell short in its attempt to sweep the Big South series, as UNC Asheville (4-17, 2-6 Big South) snapped a nine-game losing streak with the win.
“The bottom line is that when you don't catch the baseball, you're not going to be very good,” said VMI head coach Marlin Ikenberry. “That may have been the worst performance that I have seen from a VMI baseball team. I thought Jeremy Brown did a nice job of getting us into the game in his first Big South start. We had some opportunities to get back in it offensively, but they made the defensive plays to get out of it. I was proud of how we played on Friday and Saturday to win the weekend, but we didn't carry it over today.”
After the teams traded runs in the second inning, the Keydets took a 2-1 advantage in the fourth on Alex Haitsuka's RBI triple. The Bulldogs answered with a four-run fifth to grab the lead for good. A throwing error allowed Jonny Eaker to start the rally, which was followed by a base knock from Danny Baatz. Kevin Weidenbacher delivered a two-run double to give the visitors the lead, before Beau Zinman extended the advantage with a two-out, two-run home run.
Trailing 5-2, the Keydets plated a single run in the fifth off of starter Ryan Dull (1-3), when Tanner Biagini singled down the third-base line. Dull, however, escaped by leaving a pair on base by retiring the next two hitters.
The Bulldogs extended their lead with another unearned run in the sixth and three more in the seventh. The Keydets, meanwhile, had a runner thrown out at the plate on an attempted wild pitch to end the sixth before leaving the bases loaded in the seventh.
Dull picked up the win by allowing three runs on six hits through six innings, notching five strikeouts. Grier Harrington came on to pitch the final three innings to pick up his first save of the season.
The loss fell to Keydet starter Jeremy Brown (1-4), who surrendered five runs, two earned, while striking out six in five innings.
UNC Asheville was led at the plate by Weidenbacher, who went 2-for-5 with a double and two RBI, while Zinman accounted for three RBI along with his home run. Each of the top eight hitters in the Keydet lineup had a hit, led by A.J. Yoder (2-for-4) and Biagini (2-for-4, RBI).
VMI returns to action on Tuesday afternoon, playing host to Richmond at 5 p.m. at Gray-Minor Stadium.
