Late VMI rally pushes win

Eight late-inning runs, including a three-run George Piccirilli home run, broke open a close game and the VMI Keydets earned their first Big South win of the season, defeating the Winthrop Eagles 10-2 in Big South baseball action Sunday afternoon in Rock Hill, S.C.

Piccirilli led the way offensively for the Keydets, pacing a 12-hit attack with a career-best 4 for 5, four RBI day. Three of his four hits went for extra bases. Rob Dickinson and Justin Hess also went 2 for 5, while Sam Roberts went 1 for 4 with a home run and three runs scored.

With the game tied at 1 in the seventh, Hess led off with a single to left. Roberts followed with a ground ball up the middle that no one could make a play on, and VMI had two runners on.

Winthrop went to the bullpen, but on the first pitch, reliever Eric Ruth threw Graham Sullivan’s sacrifice bunt attempt down the left field line for a three-base error, allowing two runs to score and giving the Keydets the lead for good, 3-1. Piccirilli followed with an RBI double, pushing the VMI (10-10-1, 1-2) advantage to 4-1. Winthrop (9-9, 2-1) got a run back in the seventh against Roberts, but the Keydets put the game away in the eighth.

After an RBI single by Hess and a sacrifice fly by Sullivan, the first pitch to Piccirilli was high and inside, brushing back the VMI first baseman. Two pitches later, with two outs in the inning, the junior drove a fastball off the scoreboard in deep left-center field for his second home run of the year, a three-run shot that put the Keydets up 9-2. Four of the five eighth-inning runs were unearned. VMI would add a ninth-inning run to account for the final margin.

Travis Thomas got the win in relief for VMI, moving to 2-0 on the year, and Sam Roberts picked up his first save since April of 2009 by pitching the final two innings. Jeremy Brown continued his strong start, as he opened the game with five strong innings, allowing just one run. Matteo D’Angelo (2-3) was the loser for Winthrop.

Winthrop took the early lead Sunday, scoring a run in the second, but Roberts launched a solo shot in the third to tie the contest, 1-1. The Eagles mounted the next threat, as they loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth against Brown. VMI head coach Marlin Ikenberry went to the mound, and on the very next pitch, Brown induced a ground ball out to retire the side.

The Keydets put together a rally in the sixth, as Alex Haitsuka led off with a single and advanced on a sacrifice bunt. One out later, Justin Topping singled to left, but Haitsuka was stopped at third as the strong throw came in from the outfield. Chase Worthington then struck out swinging to end the rally.

Thomas relieved Brown in the bottom of the inning, and hit a batter with two out. He stole second, but the Keydet sophomore retired the side without further incident, setting the stage for VMI’s seventh-inning rally.