WILMINGTON, N.C. – The top-ranked Virginia Cavaliers scored in four straight early innings and went on to a 12-0 win over the VMI Keydets, in game three of the Hughes Bros. Challenge, hosted by UNC Wilmington in Wilmington, N.C.
After the first three half-innings were scoreless, UVA (1-1) left fielder Derek Fisher hit a long fly ball to left field that got caught in the 20-30 mile-per-hour wind. The hit went for a triple, but the relay throw went over the head of VMI (0-2) third baseman Thomas Stallings and caromed toward the backstop, allowing Fisher to score for a 1-0 Cavalier lead. UVA tacked on another run in that inning, scored twice in the third, once in the fourth and then broke the game open with five unearned runs in the fifth inning, before ending the scoring with two tallies in the seventh.
Virginia saw five different players record multiple hits on the day, led by Mike Papi's 2 for 3, two walks and three runs scored game. Jordan Tarsovich led the Keydets with a 2 for 4 afternoon that included a pair of doubles.
On the mound, Connor Bach took the loss, dropping to 0-1 after allowing five runs, four earned, in four innings. He walked four and struck out three. Nathan Kirby held the Keydet offense to four hits over six innings, striking out seven in the process.
After Fisher scored in the second, Nick Howard followed with a single and advanced to third on a wild pickoff throw. One batter later, Robbie Coman drove in a run with a sacrifice bunt to make it 2-0, UVA.
RBI singles by Fisher and Howard made it 4-0 in the third, and Coman led off the fourth with a hit. After a walk, a sacrifice bunt moved both runners up and Joe McCarthy drove in a run with a sacrifice fly, pushing the margin to 5-0, Virginia.
Micah Gorman relieved Bach to start the fifth, and with one out, Howard reached on an error by shortstop Ray Lopez. He would score on a RBI single by Coman, but the next batter flew out. The next four hitters reached, however, with Papi, McCarthy and Brandon Downes all driving in runs and the Cavaliers going ahead, 10-0.
Virginia wrapped up the game's scoring in the seventh, notching runs on a Downes RBI single and a throwing error that allowed the final run to score.
All told, seven of the game's 12 runs were unearned due to six VMI errors. Six freshmen made their collegiate debuts, with Will Malbon notching a hit, Austin Heenan throwing two innings out of the bullpen and Blaine Lafin working 1 1/3 frames.
VMI baseball will wrap up its opening weekend Sunday at the Hughes Bros. Challenge, taking on Kentucky at 10 a.m.
