Box Score
LEXINGTON, VA – The VMI Keydets defeated the Winthrop Eagles 7-5 in the series finale on Sunday afternoon at Gray-Minor Stadium.
The Eagles fall to 23-26 on the season and 11-13 in the conference, while the Keydets improve to 31-18 overall and 12-12 in conference play.
Tommy Lawrence (2-4) took the loss throwing 2.1 innings of relief and allowed two runs on three hits, one walk and three strikeouts. Michael Devine (4-1) tossed 3.2 scoreless innings in the finale and gave up three hits, one walk and six strikeouts.
“I think we certainly had chances to win the game today,” said head coach Joe Hudak. “We were disappointed in losing this game.”
Alex Haitsuka gave VMI a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first on his grand slam against Newman to the right of the scoreboard in left center field.
Winthrop made it a 4-1 contest in the top of the second on Adam Gliebe's RBI sacrifice fly to right field, but the Keydets answered back with a run in the bottom of the second inning on an RBI groundout by Cory Spangenberg to extend their lead to 5-1.
The Eagles cut the deficit to 5-2 in their half of the third on Chas Crane's RBI double off the left field wall. Sean Sullivan came home on the extra-base hit by Crane after he doubled to left field two batters earlier.
Winthrop scored three runs in the top of the sixth inning and tied the game at 5-5. Gliebe came home for the first run of the inning after he advanced to third on Tyler McBride's double that dropped just to the left of the foul line, but an errant throw by Spangenberg at second allowed Gliebe to score. Tyler Cook and Crane followed with back-to-back RBI base hits.
VMI re-took the lead in the seventh inning at 6-5 when Rob Dickinson doubled home Spangenberg and later increased its lead to 7-5 in the bottom of the eighth on an RBI single to right field by Spangenberg.
“This was a good weekend for us,” Hudak said. “The team that we have been looking for for quite some time was here this weekend. That was a real positive thing. The key for us is the fact that we are playing better ball and playing with more confidence.”
Crane, Gamblin, Gliebe and McBride posted two hits each for the Eagles, while Crane drove in a team-high two RBI. Steele Myers led the Keydets offensively by going 3-for-4 at the plate and Haitsuka posted four RBI.
Winthrop will be back in action on Tuesday, May 18 as it hosts The Citadel at 5 p.m.
