VMI knocks off Longwood

Graham Sullivan hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the seventh inning to break a 4-4 tie, and Chase Worthington went 2 for 3 with a home run as the VMI Keydets defeated the Longwood Lancers, 5-4, in non-conference baseball action Tuesday night in Farmville, Va.

Worthington also started the eventual game-winning rally, as he was hit by a pitch to lead off the seventh. After Justin Hess got down a sacrifice bunt, Sam Roberts singled to right field, but Longwood (17-7) right fielder Dustin Sollars came up throwing and held Worthington at third. Sullivan then delivered a sacrifice fly to break the tie and give the Keydets (11-10-1) the one-run lead, which they would not relinquish.

Alan Watts (1-0) earned his first win of the season, going 2 1/3 innings in relief of starter Campbell Henkel. Watts surrendered one run on three hits, while Henkel went 3 2/3 innings, giving up three runs in his first collegiate start. Sam Roberts got his second save of the year, closing out the game by retiring Longwood’s final five hitters. Kyler Morgan (2-1) took the loss for Longwood.

“I was glad to see us battle all night,” said VMI head coach Marlin Ikenberry. “Chase Worthington and Graham Sullivan both had great at-bats all game, and I was really pleased with our offense. I also liked how we kept responding, and extending the lead every time they rallied. This was a good in-state win for our club.”

VMI took the early lead in the first with a two-out rally. George Piccirilli dropped down a bunt single, and Alex Haitsuka followed with a double down the left-field line. The next batter, Jacob Morley, tomahawked a single to left, scoring both runners and giving the Keydets a 2-0 edge.

Longwood came right back against Henkel, as after a leadoff walk, Sollars nailed a two-run home run to left, tying the score at 2. It would stay that way until the fourth, when Worthington homered with two outs, his second long ball of the season, to give VMI a 3-2 lead.

That cushion was, once again, short-lived. With a runner on third and two outs in the fourth, Watts was brought in to face Lancer leadoff man Brant Jones. Jones greeted the Keydet reliever with an RBI single, tying the score at 3, but the visitors regained the lead in the fifth. Roberts singled to lead off the frame and promptly stole second. Sullivan then reached on an error, when pitcher Morgan threw the ball down the right field line, allowing Roberts to score and VMI to take a 4-3 advantage.

Longwood tied the game for the final time in the sixth, when the Lancers started the frame with back-to-back singles against Watts. After a strikeout. Chris Briere hit a sacrifice fly to center, tying the game at 4 and setting the stage for the decisive seventh inning.

After VMI took the 5-4 edge in that frame, the Lancers threatened in the eighth against Michael Devine. A leadoff single and a hit batter put two men on, and after a sacrifice bunt. Roberts was brought in to close out the contest. He struck out three of the final five hitters without allowing a baserunner, nailing down his second save in the past three days as VMI won its second straight contest.

Offensively, VMI was led by Worthington and Roberts, who also had two hits. Alex Owens had three hits for Longwood.