Sam Roberts capped a nine-pitch battle with the game’s key hit, a two-run sixth-inning single, and four VMI pitchers combined to scatter seven hits as the Keydets defeated the William & Mary Tribe, 5-1, in non-conference baseball action Wednesday night in Williamsburg, Va. The win was VMI’s first in Williamsburg since 1996, as the Keydets won at Plumeri Park, which opened in 1999, for the first time ever.
With VMI leading 2-0 going to the sixth, Justin Topping led off with a double and went to third on a passed ball. Rob Dickinson followed with an infield hit, and Jacob Morley followed with an RBI single to make it 3-0. A fielder’s choice and a ground out put runners on second and third with two out, setting up Roberts’ at-bat versus pitcher Matt Wainman.
Wainman got ahead with two quick strikes, but then threw three balls, and Roberts prolonged the at-bat by fouling off three other pitches. Finally, on the ninth pitch, the VMI shortstop looped a single to center, scoring two runs and giving the Keydets a 5-0 lead. The Tribe scored a run in the sixth, but could not manage anything else, as Travis Thomas and Sam Roberts shut out the home team over the final three innings.
John Garrett (2-1) earned the win, going a predetermined three innings, allowing just one hit and striking out four. Jay McCarthy (1-3) allowed an unearned run in four innings to take the loss.
The Keydets threatened in the first, as George Piccirilli walked with two outs. Alex Haitsuka followed with a base hit to right, extending his hitting streak to 15 games and putting two runners on. Topping was hit by a pitch to load the bases, but Dickinson struck out looking to end the threat.
Piccirilli also reached in the third, when he laced a triple to right-center, but was left stranded when Haitsuka popped out. Meanwhile, Garrett retired the first eight Tribe hitters before a two-out single in the third, and VMI finally got on the board in the fourth.
With one out, Dickinson and Morley had back-to-back singles. Chase Worthington then grounded to third baseman Ryan Lindemuth, who threw to second to force Morley. Jonathan Slattery’s relay to first was wild, allowing Dickinson to come around and score the game’s first run.
Roberts then led off the fifth with a double, a hit that just eluded the W&M left fielder down the line, and Graham Sullivan bunted him to third. Piccirilli then plated him with a sacrifice fly, putting the Keydets up 2-0. Alan Watts blanked the Tribe in the fifth, setting the stage for the game’s crucial inning. The Tribe got a run off Thomas in the seventh, but neither team mounted a serious threat over the final three innings, and 5-1 was the final.
Offensively, Dickinson, Morley, Piccirilli and Roberts all had two hits, with Roberts being the lone Keydet to drive in two runs. Ryan Brown and Derrick Osteen had two hits each for the Tribe.
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