Offensive explosion backs Winder in 10-0 VMI win

Collin Fleischer went 3 for 3, Garrett St. Laurent hit his first career home run and the VMI Keydets took advantage of 12 walks, six wild pitches and three hit batters by the George Washington Colonials to win the opener of a three-game set, 10-0, Friday at Gray-Minor Stadium.

The Keydets (4-5) scored in the first and fourth, but GW (2-8) starter Brady Renner had wriggled off the hook repeatedly, stranding 12 runners in the first five innings. VMI exploded in the sixth, however, scoring five times and batting around to take a 7-0 lead. St. Laurent then blew the game open with a three-run shot in the seventh that capped the scoring.

The VMI offense provided that run support behind ace Josh Winder, who moved to 3-0 with eight glittering innings. Winder fanned 11 against no walks, and has struck out 21 and walked only one in his last two starts (18 innings). The 11 strikeouts was a career-high and Winder has allowed only one run over his last 22 frames of work, dating back to his first start of the season.

Renner (0-2) gave up two runs on six hits and five walks in 3 2/3 innings, although he did fan seven Keydets as well.

The Keydets struck in the first, when Matt Dunlevy led off with a single to extend his career-best hitting streak to nine games. One out later, he moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on Tyler Tharp’s RBI single to make it 1-0.

That margin doubled in the fourth, when Matt Pita singled home a run to make it 2-0. The Keydets left the bases loaded in the fifth, but batted around in the sixth on only three hits. VMI took advantage of two hit batters, two wild pitches and two walks to plate five runs, with a two-run triple by Will Malbon being the key blow in the frame.

St. Laurent then launched a three-run, first pitch home run in the seventh to cap the scoring.

Offensively, Fleischer and Pita had three-hit games to lead the Keydets, while Cody Bryant and Robbie Metz had two hits apiece for the visitors.

VMI baseball will return to action Saturday, when the Keydets and Colonials resume their series at Gray-Minor Stadium. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.