Ninth-Inning Rally Falls Short in Keydet Setback

Baseball VMIKeydets.com

Ninth-Inning Rally Falls Short in Keydet Setback

LEXINGTON, Va. – A ninth-inning rally fell short, and the Lafayette Leopards hung on for a 5-4 win over the VMI Keydets in non-conference baseball Sunday afternoon in Lexington, Va.

With Lafayette (2-1) clinging to a one-run lead, Rob Dickinson led off the ninth with a walk. He then moved up a base on a sacrifice bunt by Jordan Tarsovich, and pinch-hitter Cody Holder was hit by a pitch. Jacob Morley and George Piccirilli, however, grounded into fielder's choice plays at second base, ending the contest and allowing the Leopards to escape with the win.

All five of Lafayette's runs in Sunday's contest were unearned, due to three Keydet (1-5) errors. The visitors were charged with two miscues, but only one VMI run fell in the unearned column. John Garrett (0-1) took the hard-luck loss for the Keydets, as he allowed the game-deciding run in the sixth inning. Garrett worked five frames, allowing just three hits and striking out five. Derek Gussaroff (1-0) got the win for the Leopards, thanks to three innings of one-hit relief.

VMI struck first in the opening frame, as Tarsovich led off with a two-strike double. Thomas Stallings moved him over with a sacrifice bunt, and Morley drove in the game's first run with an RBI single. The Keydets added a run in the second, thanks to Tarsovich's RBI groundout, and led 2-0 after two innings.

The visitors, however, erupted for four runs in the third, all with two outs. After two strikeouts got the inning going, Brian Davila chopped a grounder to his counterpart, Drew Bryan, at shortstop. Bryan misplayed the ball for an error, and Lafayette followed with four straight hits to grab a quartet of unearned runs, and in the process, take a 4-2 lead.

The Keydets got two runs back in the fourth, and again, Tarsovich was right in the middle of the rally, as he singled with one out. Morley then walked, and Piccirilli followed with a ringing double down the left field line, scoring both runners and tying the game, 4-4.

Garrett pitched around two hits in the fifth, but the Leopards got the eventual game-winner one inning later. With one out, Andrew Ruck singled and quickly stole second. Parker Hills walked, and Ruck moved up to third on a ball in the dirt. With runners on the corners, Lafayette put Hills in motion. Andrew Santomauro hit a looper out to Bryan at shortstop, but in an effort to double the runner off first and end the inning, the throw sailed into the dugout, allowing Ruck to score the decisive fifth run. 

In the loss, Tarsovich and Piccirilli had multiple-hit games for VMI, while Piccirilli led the Keydets with two RBI. Bobby Fargnoli had three hits for Lafayette.

VMI baseball will return to action Tuesday, as the Keydets travel to Williamsburg, Va. to take on the Tribe of William & Mary. Game time is set for 4 p.m.

Lafayette 5, VMI 4 (February 26, 2012 at Lexington, Va.)
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LC                 004 001 000  - 5 8 2 (2-1)
VMI               110 200 000  - 4 8 3 (1-5)
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LC – Ortolf; Gussaroff (5); Snell (8) and Hills.
VMI – Brown; J. Garrett (4); Devine (9); Montague and Winn (8).
W- Gussaroff (1-0) S – Snell (1) L- J. Garrett (0-1)
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Players Mentioned

Drew Bryan

#1 Drew Bryan

MI
5' 9"
Freshman
R/R
Rob Dickinson

#31 Rob Dickinson

OF
6' 0"
Junior
L/L
John Garrett

#14 John Garrett

RHP
6' 2"
Junior
L/R
Cody Holder

#23 Cody Holder

IF
6' 4"
Sophomore
R/R
Jacob Morley

#6 Jacob Morley

OF
6' 0"
Senior
R/R
George Piccirilli

#27 George Piccirilli

1B
5' 10"
Senior
R/R
Thomas Stallings

#9 Thomas Stallings

MI
5' 10"
Freshman
R/R
Jordan Tarsovich

#33 Jordan Tarsovich

IF/OF
5' 9"
Sophomore
R/R

Players Mentioned

Drew Bryan

#1 Drew Bryan

5' 9"
Freshman
R/R
MI
Rob Dickinson

#31 Rob Dickinson

6' 0"
Junior
L/L
OF
John Garrett

#14 John Garrett

6' 2"
Junior
L/R
RHP
Cody Holder

#23 Cody Holder

6' 4"
Sophomore
R/R
IF
Jacob Morley

#6 Jacob Morley

6' 0"
Senior
R/R
OF
George Piccirilli

#27 George Piccirilli

5' 10"
Senior
R/R
1B
Thomas Stallings

#9 Thomas Stallings

5' 10"
Freshman
R/R
MI
Jordan Tarsovich

#33 Jordan Tarsovich

5' 9"
Sophomore
R/R
IF/OF