Furman wins pitchers’ duel with VMI, 3-1

Matthew Quarles threw seven innings of two-hit ball, helping the Furman Paladins squeak past the VMI Keydets, 3-1, in the finale of a three-game SoCon series contested Sunday in Lexington, Va. With the win, Furman (25-27, 12-9 SoCon) wins the series two games to one.

The Keydets (20-32, 3-18) took the early lead on Collin Fleischer’s third home run in two days, a blow that came in the second inning, but VMI mustered just one hit the rest of the way. Furman then used a three-run fifth inning, a frame that included a balk and two errors, to score all the runs it would need to take the series.

On the mound, Brandon Barbery was the tough-luck loser despite his first quality start since March 26. He dropped to 3-7 after allowing three runs, two earned, over six innings. He walked one and fanned a season-high six. Quarles evened his record at 6-6 after allowing one run on two hits and walking four over seven frames.

After Fleischer’s home run, his 14th long ball of the season, Matt Pita doubled with one out in the fourth. Fleischer was intentionally walked and one out later, Peyton Maddox walked to load the bases. Matt Dunlevy flew out to end the inning, however, and VMI did not have a hit the rest of the way.

Furman then scored in the fifth, thanks to a two-out rally. Matt Towarnicky singled and went to third on a hit and run single by Jabari Richards. Sims Griffith drove in a run with a single and moved up on a Pita wild return throw to the infield, and Barbery promptly balked in the go-ahead run to make it 2-1. A throwing error by David Geary allowed the third run to score and accounted for the final margin.

With his home run, Fleischer moved into a tie with five other players for third on the VMI single-season record listing. In addition, Jack Gomersall pitched two shutout innings. His outing was his 30th of the year as he became only the second Keydet pitcher (Jeff DeMara, 33, 2005) ever to have at least 30 appearances in a season.

VMI baseball will return to action Tuesday, when the Keydets travel to Blacksburg to face the Virginia Tech Hokies. First pitch is slated for 5:30 p.m.