LEXINGTON, Va. – A valiant comeback by the VMI Keydets fell just short, as the potential tying run was left stranded at third base in the ninth inning and the Buffalo Bulls held on for a dramatic, 6-5, win in the fourth game of this weekend's VMI Tournament, contested at Gray-Minor Stadium in Lexington, Va. The win ended VMI's winning streak at seven games, which had been the team's longest such run since 2010.
Buffalo (5-1) controlled the majority of the game and led 6-1 headed to the bottom of the eighth, when Jordan Tarsovich led off the inning with his first home run of the year, a drive over the left field wall that cut the deficit to 6-2. That ended UB starter Anthony Magovney's night and brought reliever Ben Hartz on, and he gave up a Red Dowdell sacrifice fly later in the inning to get VMI (7-3) within three, setting up even more drama in the ninth.
Matt Winn led off the Keydet ninth with a walk against Hartz, and after a passed ball moved him up a base, Drew Bryan walked as well. Two outs later, Tarsovich won a nine-pitch battle with a drive off the lower portion of the right-center field fence for a two-run triple, pulling the Keydets within 6-5. Sheldon Shifflett pinch-hit representing the potential winning run, but Hartz struck Shifflett out swinging to end the game and preserve the Buffalo victory.
On the mound, the starters took the decisions with Magovney moving to 2-0 with the win. He went seven innings and allowed two runs on only six hits. Connor Bach took the loss, falling to 1-2 after giving up three runs on six hits and five walks over four frames of work.
Offensively, Tarsovich went 2 for 5 with three RBI and Eric Mayers finished with a 2 for 4 game. Will Malbon was 2 for 3 in the second spot in the batting order, and finished the day's two games going 5 for 8 overall.
Buffalo drew first blood against Bach, jumping ahead with a run in the third inning. The visitors then added on in the fourth, when Kyle Figgins led off with a single. Two outs later, Jimmy Topps walked and Matt Pollock followed with a single to score Figgins, putting UB up 2-0. Mike Burke then singled to score Topps for a 3-0 Bulls' lead.
VMI got a run back in the bottom half, as Brandon Angus singled with one out and stole second and third, giving him six stolen bases on the day. Mayers then singled him home to make it 3-1, Buffalo.
The game was then scoreless until the seventh, when Pollock led off with a walk. One out later, Mautner singled and Richards followed with a single, scoring Pollock and pushing the UB lead to three, 4-1. Jason Stafford relieved Rian Ellis, and after a hit batter, got a hard ground ball to his glove side on the mound. He stretched in an effort to field the ball, but it deflected off his glove and slowly rolled to shortstop Tanner Dofflemyer for a hit, scoring a run.
Buffalo then made it 6-1 in the eighth, when Topps led off with a single and eventually scored on a throwing error by third baseman Drew Bryan. Blaine Lafin retired Figgins with the bases loaded, however, keeping the Keydets within five and setting the stage for the dramatic final two innings.
Buffalo had six different players post two-hit nights in their win, including Pollock and Mautner, who also drew two walks apiece.
"Buffalo did a great job in pitching our guys tough," said VMI head coach Marlin Ikenberry. "Anthony Magovney made pitches when he had to and did a nice job. I was really pleased with our comeback - We just ran out of outs. Jordan Tarsovich did an unbelievable job in the 8th and 9th to get three RBI and pull us within one. It was nice to get a lot of guys some work on the mound in pressure situations today. I was really proud of how we competed late in the ballgame."
The VMI tournament concludes Sunday with two games, both of which have been moved up due to weather and travel issues. UMES and Buffalo will play at 10:30 a.m., with the Keydets and UMES to follow at 2 p.m.
