CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The #4 Virginia Cavaliers scored unearned runs in the sixth and eighth innings that proved to be the difference, as they edged the VMI Keydets, 8-6, in a non-conference contest Wednesday night at Davenport Field in Charlottesville, Va.
VMI (14-18) had battled back from a three-run deficit to pull within one, 6-5, after RBI hits by Thomas Stallings and Drew Bryan in the sixth, but a two-out walk to Virginia (27-3) catcher Nate Irving started a UVA rally in the bottom half. The next batter, Branden Cogswell, hit a bouncing ball back to pitcher Taylor Edens. The ball deflected off Edens' glove for an error, and the next hitter, Jared King, drove home Irving with a double to left for the eventual winning run. The Keydets cut the margin back to one in the eighth, but a two-out RBI single by Brandon Downes in the bottom half provided an insurance run and accounted for the final score, 8-6.
The Keydets pounded out 11 hits against the #4 team in the country, and saw four hitters notch two hits apiece, including Matt Winn, who reached base for the 16th straight game by going 2 for 4 with two runs scored. Rob Dickinson added two hits and with them, pulled within one of Jacob Morley '12 for seventh on the all-time VMI hit list.
Nick Howard went 3 for 4 to lead the home team.
VMI jumped ahead with two outs in the first against UVA starter Trey Oest. Dickinson laced a single down the right field line, and Sheldon Shifflett followed with a long drive to right center that went for a triple, and gave the Keydets a 1-0 lead. The home team answered with three in the bottom half against Keydet starter Lucas Cash, but the visitors got a sacrifice fly from Thomas Stallings in the second and Dickinson's fourth home run of the year, coming in the third inning, to tie the contest at 3-apiece.
The Cavaliers struck for three more in the third to take the lead for good. Mike Papi singled to drive in the first run, and the next batter, Kenny Towns, hit a ground ball to shortstop that appeared to be a tailor-made double play. The ball was misplayed for an error, however, allowing a second run to score, and UVA added a third score on a double play groundout later in the inning to go ahead, 6-3, after three frames of action.
VMI cut into that deficit in the sixth, when Shifflett led off with a single and Winn followed with one of his own. A sacrifice bunt moved both runners up, and one out later, Stallings laced a single to left to plate Shifflett. Bryan followed with an infield hit, plating Winn and cutting the UVA lead to one, 6-5.
After the home team notched the unearned run off Edens in the sixth, the Keydets mounted a rally in the eighth. Winn led off with a double against Whit Mayberry, and one out later, Red Dowdell got him home with a sacrifice fly to cut the lead back to one, 7-6, against a bullpen that entered the game having given up just one earned run in its last 40 1/3 innings of work.
Stallings then hammered a double to left, putting the tying run in scoring position with two out, but reliever Austin Young struck out Bryan to end the inning and quell the final Keydet threat. Downes' RBI single in the UVA half of the eighth accounted for the final margin, 8-6.
Andrew Woods (2-1) took the loss on a staff day for the Keydets, as he surrendered three runs (two earned) in his two relief innings. Cash allowed three runs in his lone inning as the starter, while his counterpart Oest (5-0) was the victor despite surrendering five earned runs in 5 1/3 innings. Kyle Crockett worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his fourth save.
VMI baseball will return to action Friday, as the Keydets play host to the VCU Rams at Gray-Minor Stadium. Game time is set for 6 p.m.
