VMI Tops Diamond 'Dogs, 21-3, Friday Afternoon In Big South Action
April 10, 2009 | Baseball
LEXINGTON,
Va. – Gardner-Webb fell behind 10-0 after two innings Friday
afternoon, and never recovered as VMI whipped the Diamond
‘Dogs 21-3 in Big South Conference action. The loss was the
fifth in a row in Big South play for Gardner-Webb (15-14, 4-6 Big
South). VMI (13-18, 7-5 Big South) took advantage early, as GWU
starter Aaron Haynes walked the Keydets' first two batters. Tanner
Biagini followed with a three-run home run just over the fence in
left center for a 3-0 lead. Alex Hiatsuka belted a two-out, solo
home run to put the Keydets up 4-0 before Haynes could work out of
the inning. VMI put two more runs across early in the second inning
and Hiatsuka put the game out of reach on one swing, hammering a
grand slam over the scoreboard in left for a 10-0 edge. The Keydets
kept going, plating three runs on five hits in the fourth for a
13-0 edge. Keydets' ace Travis Smink had little trouble with the
Bulldog bats, cruising through the first four frames after allowing
a pair of sharp singles in the first to Daniel Cooke and Justin
Loyd. Matt Rizzuto hammered a two-out offering from Smink off the
scoreboard to trim the lead to 13-1 in the top of the fifth, but
VMI answered quickly in the bottom half, as Biagnini took Jake
Watts' first pitch of the inning over the scoreboard in left center
to give the Keydets a 14-1 lead. VMI plated a total of three runs
in the fifth and added two runs in the sixth, one in the seventh
and two more in the eighth – all on home runs – for the
final margin. The Keydets hit seven home runs in the game. Haynes
(1-2) took the loss, allowing 13 earned runs on 15 hits in just 3.2
innings of work. Smink (5-2) was very effective, scattering six
hits and allowing just one run in 7.0 innings of work (five
strikeouts, no walks). Cooke (2-for-4, 2B, RBI) and Loyd (2-for-4,
RBI) paced Gardner-Webb's eight-hit effort offensively. VMI
collected 25 hits on the day, with A.J. Yoder leading the way by
going 5-for-6 with five runs scored and three RBI. Bagini went
4-for-6 with four runs, two home runs and four RBI. Haitsuka was
3-for-4 with six RBI and a pair of long balls. The two teams will
finish the series beginning at 1:00 pm ET with a
doubleheader.
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