Box Score
ROCK HILL, SC – The VMI Keydets scored nine runs in the final three innings on Sunday afternoon en route to a 10-2 series finale victory over the Winthrop Eagles at The Winthrop Ballpark.
The Eagles fall to 9-9 overall and 2-1 in the Big South, while the Keydets improve to 10-10-1 on the season and 1-2 in conference play.
“We could never get into an offensive rhythm today,” said head coach Tom Riginos. “I think it was a big key for us in that we couldn't get a big hit. We didn't have real good at-bats with two outs or have an aggressive approach.”
Matteo D'Angelo (2-3) took the loss in the series finale tossing 6.0 innings and gave up three runs on eight hits, no walks and one strikeout. Travis Thomas (1-0) earned the victory pitching a scoreless inning of relief on no hits, no walks and no strikeouts. Sam Roberts (1) recorded the save surrendering one run on two hits, no walks and two strikeouts in 3.0 innings of work.
“Matteo did a good job for us,” Riginos said. “He gave us a chance to win and battled. I was real proud of him.”
Winthrop plated one run courtesy of an RBI single over first base by Adam Gliebe in the bottom of the second for a 1-0 lead. Patrick Gamblin scored on the single as he also singled with one out in the inning and then stole second base.
Roberts would tie the contest for VMI at 1-1 in the top of the third inning with his lead off solo home run to right field against D'Angelo. It was Robert's second homer of the season.
The score remained tied a 1-1 until the top of the seventh when the Keydets drove in three runs to make it a 4-2 game. VMI got its first two runners on board in Roberts and Justin Hess when reliever Eric Ruth picked up a Graham Sullivan bunt and threw wide of third base. Both Hess and Roberts would score and Sullivan made it all the way to third. George Piccirilli then plated Sullivan with an RBI double down the left field line.
The Eagles trimmed the deficit to 4-2 in their half of the seventh when Eddie Rohan's sacrifice fly to center field drove in Chas Crane, who doubled in the previous at-bat and went to third on a wild pitch, but the Keydets responded with five runs in the top of the eighth. The inning was highlighted by a three-run homer off the scoreboard in left center field by Piccirilli, while Hess and Sullivan also had an RBI each in the inning. The long ball was Piccirilli's second of the season.
“We made a couple of costly errors late in the game that came back to haunt us a little bit,” said Riginos.
VMI added another run in the ninth inning to increase its lead to 10-2 when Jacob Morley scored on a wild pitch by Austin Stuart. Morley led off the inning with a walk, stole second base and advanced to third on a wild pitch.
Tyler Cook led the Winthrop offense for the second consecutive game with a 2-for-5 performance at the plate, while Gliebe and Rohan drove in both runs on the afternoon. Piccirilli had a team-high four hits for the Keydets and also lead the team with four RBI.
The Eagles will be back in action on Tuesday, Mar. 22 when they travel to Gainesville, FL to face the top-ranked Florida Gators at McKethan Stadium.
