Sophomore Brett Cook provided a walk-off single Friday evening as the VMI baseball team defeated The Citadel 3-2 in a Southern Conference game in Gray-Minor Stadium.
The Keydets scored two runs in the first inning on RBI singles from Will Knight and Trey Morgan to score Cook and Justin Starke. Travis Lott homered for the Bulldogs in the fourth and the game remained 2-1 until the ninth inning. An error in the top of the frame brought the tying run home and the visitors had runners at first and second with two outs.
Will Riley came in from the bullpen and struck out the next hitter to keep the game tied.
VMI’s Justin Nase led off the ninth with a walk and moved to second on a Ty Swaim sacrifice bunt. Cook hit a hard line drive down the left field line and Nase beat the throw home to end the contest.
Both team had outstanding pitching performances. Freshman Tyler Kaltreider started on the hill for VMI and allowed five hits, one walk and one earned run with a career-best seven strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings. Nathan Light followed with 3 2/3 scoreless innings, giving up just one hit and one walk with five strikeouts. Riley earned his first win of the season retiring the only batter he faced.
The Citadel’s Jordan Beatson worked 3 2/3 scoreless innings of relief before running into trouble in the ninth.
Cook finished 3-5 on the day with a double and Morgan also had three hits. Knight had two hits and Jed Barrett walked twice. Catcher Cole Garrett threw out two Bulldogs stealing.
Ben Hutchins was 2-3 for The Citadel (18-15/0-5 SoCon) with a double.
VMI (12-24/3-2 SoCon) looks to sweep the three-game series Saturday at 2 p.m.
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