Home UNC-Greensboro outslugs VMI in extra innings, 13-11
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UNC-Greensboro outslugs VMI in extra innings, 13-11

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vmi_logo2The UNCG Spartans scored the final seven runs of the game, including two in the 10th inning, to defeat the VMI Keydets, 13-11, in the final game of a three-game SoCon series between the teams Sunday in Lexington, Va.

Sunday’s game was an offensive show from the start, as Hunter King of UNCG (22-24, 12-12 SoCon) homered as the second batter of the game to start a stretch of nine straight run-scoring half-innings between the two teams. The Keydets (17-27, 10-11) managed to go up 11-6 after a two-run shot by Will Connerley in the sixth, but the Spartans scored once in the seventh and four times in the eighth to tie the score.

In the 10th, Blaine Lafin gave up a leadoff single to Austin Embler. A miscommunication on a bunt enabled #9 hitter Tripp Shelton to reach with a single as well, and Lafin then committed a fielding error on a Zac MacAneney sacrifice to load to bases. Jonathan Kelley relieved and saw a RBI single by King and a sacrifice fly by Collin Woody score the game’s final two runs.

The Keydets threatened in the bottom of the 10th, when Connerley and Tyler Tharp led off with back to back singles. Thomas Stallings put down a sacrifice bunt, but Brandon Angus fouled out and Will Malbon struck out looking to end the game.

Woody (1-0) picked up the victory, as the right-hander went 4 1/3 scoreless innings to close out the game. He walked four, struck out three and allowed five hits. Lafin (0-2) took the loss, as he was charged with two runs (one earned) in the 10th and did not retire a batter.

After King’s home run off Brandon Barbery in the first opened the scoring, VMI tied it in the bottom half on a Collin Fleischer RBI groundout. UNCG scored once in the second, but a three-run uprising by the Keydets in the bottom of the inning gave them a lead they would hold until the eighth.

With the score VMI 4, UNCG 2 headed to the third, Aaron Wright hit a one-out, solo home run to cut that lead in half, but a two-run double to straightaway center field by Angus made it a 6-3 game.

The trend continued as UNCG put up a single run in the fourth, but the Keydets took advantage of a Wright fielding error to score three in the bottom of the frame. A RBI single by Tarsovich and a two-run shot by Matt Winn provided the impetus for the Keydets to go ahead, 9-4.

A two-run Spartan fifth made it a 9-6 game, and reliever Bryant Stafford put up the game’s first zero with a shutout Keydet fifth. VMI added on in the sixth, however, when Collin Fleischer walked with two outs and scored on Connerley’s 13th home run of the season.

The visitors began chipping away in the seventh, when Woody led off with a home run of Jack Gomersall to cut the margin to 11-7. The game was then tied in the eighth, when Wright singled with one out off Taylor Edens and Woody followed with a double to cap an 11-pitch at-bat. Eric Kalbfleisch followed with a two-run double and Zach Almond had an infield single to knock out Edens and bring in Josh Worthley, who allowed a wild pitch, a walk and a passed ball to tie the game, 11-11. Worthley did, however, recover to strike out Shelton and MacAneney swinging to end the inning.

The Keydets got the go-ahead run to third with one out in the eighth, but could not get him home, and UNCG saw the same scenario in its half of the ninth. Tarsovich made it third on a throwing error by Woody with two outs in the ninth, but Winn was walked intentionally and Fleischer struck out swinging to send the game to extra innings.

Neither starter figured in the decision, as both were knocked out before the end of the fourth inning. Barbery went 3 2/3 innings and allowed four runs, while Chad Sykes was pulled after three frames and six runs (three earned).

Offensively, Connerley and Tyler Tharp had three hits apiece to lead VMI. The home runs for Connerley and Winn moved each of theminto a tie for seventh on the Institute’s all-time single season home run list.

Before the game, the 10 members of VMI’s senior class were honored in an on-field ceremony.

VMI baseball will return to action Tuesday, when the Keydets play host to the James Madison Dukes in the final home game of the season. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.

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