NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. ? Nick Hustedt's grand slam with two outs in the 10th inning gave Charleston Southern a 9-5, walk-off win over VMI in game one of a Big South series on Friday afternoon at the Buccaneer Ballpark.
CSU (11-14, 6-3 Big South) led off the 10th with back-to-back infield singles by Patrick Dolan and Nick Chinners. After a groundout moved the two into scoring position, VMI (10-13, 4-2 Big South) issued an intentional walk to Jake Cox, loading the bases with one out. Keydet reliever Matt Edwards (2-1) then induced a one-hopper to first baseman Jordan Ballard, who fired home for one out, but the throw back to first base was not in time to end the inning. Hustedt then stepped up and delivered the game-ender on a 2-2 pitch, spelling VMI's second extra-inning loss in as many games.
“I thought that we played hard today,” said VMI head coach Marlin Ikenberry. “We ran into trouble in the 10th inning, but we got a great play from Jordan Ballard to get the second out, and nearly had the double play to get out of it. Then we hung a slider on a 2-2 pitch, and they hit a walk-off home run. That's how fragile this game can be. It was a good college baseball game, and we'll certainly be ready to get after them tomorrow.”
Tyler Thornburg (4-2) took the win for CSU, coming on from right field to work two shutout innings of relief. He followed CSU starter Anthony Markham, who worked a career-long eight innings, scattering eight hits and five runs, four earned.
Keydet starter Travis Smink worked 7.1 innings, striking out five while allowing five runs on 11 hits. Smink was lifted after giving up back-to-back solo home runs in the eighth inning that allowed CSU to tie the game at five, the second time CSU battled back from a deficit.
“I thought Travis Smink did a nice job all game long,” said Ikenberry. “We had our best against their best in the eighth, and their four and five hitters come up with two home runs. That first one would have been an awesome catch if Sammy had made it, then they hit the next pitch out to tie it up.”
Chinners hit the first of those two home runs, as the redshirt sophomore hit for the cycle in the game. After collecting an RBI triple in the first and a double in the third, Chinners finished the job by beating out a bunt single in the 10th inning. He paced the Bucs with a 4-for-5 afternoon, driving in a pair. Thornburg accounted for the second home run of the eighth inning, eventually helping himself to a win on the mound.
The Keydets jumped on top in the first inning, as Alex Haitsuka cleared the bases with a three-run double. CSU, however, battled back with single runs in the first, second and fourth innings to knot the game at three.
VMI rallied in the sixth off of Markham, who set down 13 of the next 16 batters he faced after Haitsuka's two-bagger. Sam Roberts came around to score on Brian Sandridge's single into left field, before Jacob Morley trotted home on a passed ball to bring the advantage to 5-3.
The Bucs answered in the eighth on Chinners' and Thornburg's blasts. Chinners' shot was nearly caught by Roberts in right field, before a collision with the wall jarred the ball loose and over the wall.
The Keydets managed to get runners on base in each of the final three innings, but could never get the big hit to push it across home plate.
Keydet leadoff hitter A.J. Yoder was 3-for-5 on the afternoon, while Sandridge was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Haitsuka's three-run double accounted for VMI's only extra-base hit on the day.
The teams return to action on Saturday afternoon, with game two of the series scheduled for 1:30 p.m.
