LEXINGTON, Va. - Graham Sullivan, Jacob Morley and Justin Hess had three hits apiece, and Sullivan highlighted a six-run seventh inning with a three-run double as the VMI Keydets downed the Longwood Lancers, 12-5, in non-conference baseball action Wednesday night at Gray-Minor Stadium in Lexington, Va.
With VMI nursing a 6-4 lead headed to its half of the seventh, Longwood starter Troy Dickman (2-2) ran into trouble. Morley singled with one out, stole second and went to third on a throwing error. Justin Topping and Rob Dickinson then both reached, and Morley scored on a wild pitch during Hess' at-bat, which ended in a walk.
Sam Roberts then walked to force in a run and take the all-time VMI record for career walks, setting the stage for Sullivan to clear the bases with a line shot to right center. The Keydet left fielder would then score on another Longwood miscue moments later, capping the six-run outburst, all of which scored with two out.
Jason Farley (3-7) got the win in relief of starter John Garrett, who went 2 1/3 innings. Farley went 1 2/3 innings, giving up one run on two hits. Dickman took the loss for Longwood, as he was charged with all 12 runs, 10 of which were earned, in his 123-pitch outing.
Hess, Morley and Sullivan led the way offensively for VMI, combining to go 9 for 14 with a walk and four runs scored. Dickinson had his third home run of the year, and Roberts claimed his third career school record, adding walks to his top marks in hits and runs scored.
"I was pleased with the intensity we showed tonight," said VMI head coach Marlin Ikenberry. "Longwood is a good ball club, and to come out and play as well as we did, after a 10-day layoff, is a good sign for our team going into the last few games of the regular season."
Longwood got on the board first on the humid, 75-degree day in Lexington, as Brant Jones homered off Garrett in the first. The solo shot, Jones' sixth of the year, gave the Lancers an early 1-0 lead, but VMI came right back in the bottom half. Sullivan singled with one out, and Piccirilli reached as well. After a ground out, Morley hit a high chopper back to Dickman. The Longwood hurler fielded the comebacker, but his throw was late and caromed away, allowing both Piccirilli and Sullivan to score and VMI to take a 2-1 lead.
The visitors got those two runs back in the third, when shortstop Matt Dickason had an RBI single and Jones had one as well, giving Longwood the lead once again, 3-2. The Lancers expanded that lead in the fourth, when Alex Owens doubled for the second straight inning, driving in Chris Briere to make it 4-2, Longwood.
Those would be Longwood's final runs until the ninth, as the VMI bullpen allowed only two hits over the next four innings. The Keydets took advantage, seizing the lead for good in the bottom of the fourth. Topping was hit by a pitch to start the inning, and Dickinson followed with his third home run of the year, and second in three games, a shot well over the right field wall. That tied the score, and a Sullivan RBI groundout later in the frame plated Chase Worthington and gave the Keydets a 5-4 edge.
That lead grew to 6-4 in the fifth, when Alex Haitsuka singled to start a rally. Morley followed with a bunt single, and Topping laid down a sacrifice bunt. Dickinson then grounded out, scoring Haitsuka and giving VMI a two-run lead for the first time.
Alan Watts gave up two singles in the seventh, but pitched out of trouble. That set the stage for the decisive seventh inning. After the Keydets scored six times, Longwood scratched across a run in the ninth to account for the final margin.
VMI took advantage of four Longwood errors on the night, and the Keydets scored eight of their 12 runs with two out. Also, the game featured two of the 25 members of the John Olerud Award watch list, given to college baseball's top two-way player, as Briere of Longwood and VMI's Roberts were named to that list in early May.
The Keydets will return to action Friday, playing host to UNC Asheville in the opener of a three-game Big South series. Game time is set for 6 p.m.
Longwood at VMI (May 11, 2011 at Lexington, Va.)
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Longwood 102 100 001 - 5 10 4 (28-16)
VMI 200 310 60X - 12 13 2 (22-22-1, 9-12 Big South)
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LW - Dickman and Long (8); Burkett and Pomposini (8).
VMI - Garrett; Farley (3); Devine (5); Watts (7); Thomas (8); Roberts (9); Haitsuka and Montague (9).
W - Farley (3-7) L - Dickman (2-2) T- 2:26 A - 299
HR VMI - Dickinson (3)
HR LW - Jones (6)
