Eagle, Malbon help VMI push past Quinnipiac, 9-5

The VMI Keydets got a strong outing from Matt Eagle and another huge game at the plate from Will Malbon to help them equal the series with the Quinnipiac Bobcats with a 9-5 win Saturday in Lexington, Va.

The Keydets (6-7) took the lead for good in the second inning with a three-run frame, helped by three Quinnipiac (6-6) errors. Malbon had a double in the inning to get things started, while a Jacob Jaye sacrifice fly and a Matt Pita RBI single also figured prominently.

VMI scored the first six runs of the game, and although the Bobcats cut the margin to four in the seventh, another three-spot appeared to put the game away as the home team took a 9-2 lead into the ninth. QU mounted a rally with three runs in that inning, but Ryan Bennett induced a ground ball force play to end the game and pick up his first career save.

Malbon continued his recent tear with a 4 for 5 game at the plate. He scored three runs and had three doubles, becoming the first Keydet since 2013 (Sheldon Shifflett) to have three two-baggers in the same contest.

Since starting the season 0 for 11, Malbon is 19 for his last 34 for an unbelievable batting average of .559. His on-base percentage plus slugging (OPS) during that stretch is 1.652. Malbon has 10 extra-base hits during that stretch, half of the total he had in over 300 career at-bats entering the season, and he will enter Sunday’s series finale with four straight multi-hit games.

The starters got the decisions, as Eagle picked up the victory with a strong six innings. He allowed five hits, one walk and struck out a career-high nine. Bennett needed just two pitches to record the save. Taylor Luciani (0-2) took the loss for Quinnipiac, as he gave up five runs in three innings.

Jaye, Collin Fleischer and Tyler Tharp all had multi-hit games for the Keydets in addition to Malbon, while Peyton Maddox hit his first home run of the year as well. Matthew Batten led the Bobcats with three hits.

VMI baseball will return to action Sunday, when the Keydets wrap up their series with Quinnipiac at 1 p.m.