University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
VMI
Big Innings Lift VMI over UNC Asheville
03.21.2009 | Baseball
LEXINGTON, Va.?VMI used three big innings and a fine pitching performance by Chris Henderson to defeat UNC Asheville 13-2 on Saturday afternoon.
Henderson (1-2) picked up his first victory of the season throwing the second consecutive complete game for the Keydets (10-10, 4-0 Big South) allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits. He did not walk a batter and struck out six Bulldogs. VMI's two starting pitchers, Henderson today and Travis Smink yesterday, have combined for 18 innings, three runs (two earned) one walk, 11 strikeouts and have allowed just 12 hits. VMI starters have an ERA of 1.00 in the first two games of the series.
Kevin Weidenbacher had two hits for UNC Asheville (3-17, 1-6 Big South) including a solo home run in the eighth inning. It was his first home run since March 14, 2008. The Bulldogs had five hits in the game as Catlin Carter, Justin Schumer, and Jonny Eaker also reached safely.
Michael Bogaert took the loss for Asheville going five innings allowing nine runs on 11 hits. He drops to 1-3 on the season.
VMI got on the board with four runs in the first inning. A.J. Yoder led the inning off with an infield single. Tanner Biagini followed with a double to right field. Justin Ballard doubled both runners home to put the Keydets up 2-0. Sam Roberts singled to put runners on the corners. Justin Topping made the first out of the inning, but his ground out scored Ballard from third base. Roberts scored on a base hit by Alex Haitsuka to make the score 4-0.
The Keydets added five runs in the fourth inning highlighted by a grand slam home run off the bat of Ballard. It was his fifth home run of the season. Ballard went 3-for-3 with six RBI and three runs scored.
VMI made the score 13-0 with a four-run two-out rally in the sixth inning. After the first two batters were retired, Yoder doubled and scored on a single by Biagini. Back-to-back walks loaded the bases for Topping, who cleared the bases with a three-run double. Topping finished the day 1-for-4 with four RBI.
Weidenbacher got the Dogs on board with his first home run of the year to lead off the eighth inning. Danny Baatz led off the ninth inning by reaching on an error. He went to second base on a passed ball and scored on a RBI-double by Schumer. It was the first time this season the Bulldogs scored in the ninth inning.
The series will conclude on Sunday at 1 p.m. Schumer will pitch for Asheville against Jeremy Brown for VMI.
