ASHEVILLE, N.C. - Rob Dickinson gave the VMI Keydets an early lead with a first-inning home run, but the UNC Asheville Bulldogs scored four times in the third to take a lead they would not relinquish, en route to a 6-4 win in Big South baseball action Saturday afternoon at Greenwood Field.
After VMI (6-12, 0-2 Big South) took that early edge on Dickinson's first home run of the year, Asheville was aided by three Keydet errors en route to its four-run third inning. Eli Miller had a two-run single in the frame, while a Billy Creighton RBI single and a throwing error allowed the other markers to cross the plate. The Bulldogs (10-9, 2-0) added two runs in the sixth, and VMI scored once each in the seventh and ninth to account for the final margin.
The starters both figured in the decisions, with Campbell Henkel taking the loss for VMI. Henkel fell to 1-2 as he was charged with six runs, four earned, over seven innings. He struck out three and did not walk a batter. Brian Connolly (2-1) was the winning pitcher for Asheville, throwing five innings of two-run baseball, while Drew Spear pitched four innings and was credited with his first save.
The Keydets jumped on Connolly early, as George Piccirilli had a one-out single in the first inning, and Dickinson followed with his long home run to left, putting VMI up, 2-0. Henkel, meanwhile, allowed just one hit over the first two innings, but ran into trouble in the third.
The inning began with an error on the shortstop and a single, putting two runners on, and leadoff hitter Thomas Bess attempted a sacrifice bunt. Catcher Matt Winn fielded the ball and threw to first base, but the ball was misplayed by the second baseman covering, resulting in an error that loaded the bases. Miller followed with his two-run single, tying the game, 2-2.
During the next at-bat, Miller attempted to steal second and Winn threw through, trying to nab the Asheville second baseman, but the throw bounced away and allowed Bess to score, giving Asheville a 3-2 advantage. Creighton followed with a single to score Miller, accounting for the four Bulldog runs in the inning.
The Keydets threatened in Connolly's final inning, the fifth, as Nick Dwyer led off with a single and one out later, Piccirilli reached after being hit by a pitch. Both Dickinson and Jacob Morley, however, flied out to end the inning.
The home team added to its lead in the sixth, as Andrew Kirkland had a RBI single and Kyle Weston posted a RBI groundout, giving Asheville a 6-2 lead. VMI came back in the seventh, as Dwyer led off with a single and one out later, Piccirilli doubled down the left field line, putting runners at second and third.
Dickinson struck out, but the next batter, Morley, hit a bouncing ball to Weston at shortstop. The Asheville player threw wildly to first, allowing Morley to reach and Dwyer to score, cutting the margin to 6-3. Michael Donovan then walked, loading the bases with two outs and bringing up Chase Worthington. The senior worked the count to 2-2 and hit a low, sinking liner to center field that Bess made a sliding catch on, robbing Worthington of a hit and ending the inning.
The score remained 6-3 headed to the ninth, when Jordan Tarsovich led off with a pinch-hit single off Spear. He would score two outs later, thanks to a single by Morley, to cap its scoring for the day.
Piccirilli and Dwyer had two hits apiece to lead the VMI offense, while the four Keydet errors were a season-high.
VMI baseball will return to action Sunday, concluding its Big South series at UNC Asheville. Game time is set for 1 p.m.
