TJ Olesczuk doubled home the go-ahead run as part of a two-run eighth inning, helping the Winthrop Eagles defeat the VMI Keydets 3-2 in Big South baseball action Sunday in Rock Hill, S.C. With the win, Winthrop completed a three-game sweep of the conference series.
After the Keydets (22-19, 9-12 BSC) had battled back to tie the game in the top of the eighth, Cody Dolan led off the bottom half with a single off Rian Ellis. Dolan moved to second on a wild pitch and scored when Olesczuk hit a ball down the right field line that rolled to the corner for a double. That made it 2-1, WU (21-26, 12-9), and the home team added a run on a RBI single by Babe Thomas later in the inning. VMI got a run in the ninth on a wild pitch, but Joey Strain got Will Connerley to ground to short to end the contest.
The bullpens recorded both decisions on the day, with Strain going to 6-4 with the win for WU. He allowed two runs, one earned, over three innings, while Ellis (0-3) did not retire a batter and was charged with two runs in relief.
Winthrop took a second-inning lead on a RBI single by Brad Kackza that scored John Menken, and the Eagles threatened for more in a bizarre third inning. Kyle Edwards led off with a double and the next hitter, Leighton Daniels, tried to bunt him to third. The bunt was in fair territory immediately in front of home plate, however, and Matt Winn fielded it, tagged Daniels and threw out Edwards trying to advance to third for a double play.
Dolan then followed with a single, and during the next at-bat, Olesczuk fouled a ball off down the right field line. Jordan Tarsovich tried to make a spectacular sliding catch near a brick barricade separating foul territory from out of play and suffered an injury on the play. Tarsovich was removed and left the field under his own power moments later. Winthrop would not score in the inning despite three hits and a walk off Keydet starter Andrew Woods.
Woods escaped once again in the fifth, as with two on and one out, Thomas hit a hard ground ball to shortstop. Daniels, who was the runner at second, was ruled to have interfered with the baseball, which appeared to be a double play off the bat. A double play was awarded to VMI off the interference, ending the inning.
The Keydets got a runner to second base with one out in the seventh, but could not score him. VMI finally broke through in the eighth, when David Geary lined a pinch-hit double down the left field line. One out later, Brandon Angus bounced a RBI single up the middle to tie the game, 1-1.
After WU scored twice in the eighth, the Keydets tried to rally in the ninth. With one out, Winn singled to right and Will Malbon pinch-ran. Malbon advanced to second on a passed ball, moved to third on an infield out and scored on a wild pitch to cut the lead to 3-2. Connerley then grounded out to end the game.
At the plate, VMI’s six hits were scattered among six different players, while Olesczuk led the Eagles with a 3 for 4 day.
VMI baseball is back in action Wednesday, playing host to VCU at 6 p.m.
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Chris Graham
