March 5, 2010

Box Score

LEXINGTON, Va. - Cory Spangenberg and Graham Sullivan each went 4-for-5 with two doubles and a home run and Adam Lopez held the University of Maryland Eastern Shore baseball team to four hits over six innings as VMI defeated the Hawks, 18-4 at Gray-Minor Stadium Friday.

The duo scored two runs apiece and combined to knock in seven runs to help the Keydets record their eighth straight win to start the season. Senior center fielder Phil Vaughn (Clinton, Md.) was 2-for-4 for the Hawks, who dropped to 0-9 with the loss. Vaughn doubled and scored a run in UMES' three-run eighth inning.

Junior J.J. Corriveau (Hollywood, Fla.) chipped in with one hit and stole two bases, leading to the first run of the afternoon.

Sam Roberts also had a big hand in VMI's offensive explosion with a 2-for-5 day at the plate, including a triple and five RBIs.

Lopez (2-0) allowed one unearned run in the first inning, but struck out 11 with no walks to earn the win.

In all, 11 Keydets collected hits and nine scored runs as VMI outhit UMES 22-8.

UMES jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Corriveau singled through the left side of the infield with one out. He stole second and third and scored when an errant throw escaped the third baseman.

The advantage for UMES, though, was short-lived. Spangenberg launched a two-run homer to left to put the Keydets up. VMI added five move runs in the inning. Sullivan, Jacob Morley, Ombri Rivers and Justin Topping added RBI hits for a 6-1 margin after one.

Sullivan's second-inning home run to center extended the lead to seven and the Keydets tacked on two more runs in the third on a Roberts two-RBI double to left-center field.

Leading 11-1 in the sixth inning, VMI tallied five move runs, all scoring with two outs. The big blow in the frame was Roberts bases-clearing triple to right, scoring Topping, Haitsuka and Rivers to make it a 15-1 game.

UMES cut into the lead in the eighth off of reliever Miles McQuaig. Consecutive singles by Tre-Von Johnson (East New Market, Md.) and Vaughn put men on first and second to start the inning. After a groundout moved the runners to second and third, and Bryan Chaikowsky (Bethlehem, Pa.) struck out, a walk would load the bases.

Donnie Haines (Carneys Point, N.J.) then doubled to left, scoring Luis Mena (Cape Coral, Fla.), Vaughn and Johnson to make it 16-4.

Haines (0-2) started for the Hawks and gave up 12 hits and 10 runs in four innings.

The teams play game two of the series Saturday at 2 p.m.