CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Citadel tried to mount a later rally, but it was VMI that scored late to hand the Bulldogs a 9-5 loss in the Southern Conference opener Friday night at Joe Riley Park.
Game Information
Score: VMI 9, The Citadel 5
Records: VMI (5-16, 1-0 SoCon), The Citadel (7-15, 0-1 SoCon)
Series: VMI leads 1-0
Location: Charleston, South Carolina (Riley Park)
Key Plays
- The Keydets took advantage of six walks in the final three innings to score five runs.
How it Happened
- The Keydets jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the third when Josh Hollifield singled to center to score two runs.
- VMI added two more runs in the fourth on a RBI double from Cody Warner and a run-scoring single from Callen Nuccio.
- The Bulldogs came back with three runs in the fifth inning as Ryan McCarthy started the inning with a single up the middle. After a one-out walk to Will Bastian, Tile Skole delivered a RBI double into the left-field corner.
- Lane Botkin drove in Bastian with a sacrifice fly and J.D. Davis came through with a RBI single to right center.
- A one-out walk in the seventh helped VMI push the lead to two as Hollifield delivered a sacrifice fly to right.
- VMI added two more runs in the eighth on a Ryan Hatten two-run homer.
- The Citadel answered back in the bottom of the inning as Jeffery Brown beat out an infield single and moved to second on a fielding error.
- McCarthy drove in a run with a single to left center, and when the throw rolled towards the VMI dugout, Tyler Corbitt hustled home to slide under the tag.
- The Keydets added some insurance in the ninth with two more runs for the final margin.
Inside the Box Score
- Jordan Merritt (2-4) took the loss after allowing four runs on seven hits and six strikeouts over six innings.
- Jacob Menders (2-1) allowed five runs, three earned, on seven hits and five strikeouts to earn the complete-game victory.
- Ryan McCarthy went 2-for-4 and drove in a run.
- The bottom three hitters in the lineup, Tilo Skole, Lane Botkin and J.D. Davis, each collected a hit and drove in a run.
On Deck
The two teams return to action Saturday afternoon. First pitch from Riley Park is set for 2 p.m.
Postgame Quotes
Head Coach Tony Skole
"It was a tough night. All the credit in the world goes to VMI and Jacob Menders. Their hitters came out swinging and got a lead on us. The young man pitched a great game and we just couldn't get anything going against him.
"I am extremely disappointed in our performance tonight. We don't have a lot of toughness in our dugout right now and that falls on me and I have to take responsibility for that. We are just not playing clean baseball right now. When you do that, you can't expect to win."