March 7, 2010
Box Score
LEXINGTON, Va. - Sam Roberts pitched seven innings and allowed one hit and Cory Spangenberg, Jacob Morley and Steele Myers drove in two runs apiece as VMI completed a three-game sweep of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore baseball team, 8-4, at Gray-Minor Stadium Sunday.
The win improved the Keydets to 10-0 on the season while the Hawks dropped to 0-11.
Coming off a lopsided 20-1 defeat Saturday, UMES put forth a better effort Sunday. Phil Vaughn (Clinton, Md.), Elliott Alston (Littleton, Colo.), Bryan Chaikowsky (Bethlehem, Pa.) and Luis Mena (Cape Coral, Fla.) scored runs for the visitors.
Sophomore John DesChamps (Virginia Beach, Va.) threw six innings, eight runs, nine hits and three walks. He also fanned three, getting his third loss of the year.
The Hawks got on the scoreboard first when Vaughn led off the first with a double down the right-field line and moved to third on a groundout. Vaughn came home on a passed ball allowed by VMI catcher Alex Haitsuka with one out.
VMI took the lead in its half of the first when Morley singled to center, scoring Tanner Biagini and Garrett Sullivan with two men out.
The Keydets added a run in the second. Ombri Rivers started the inning with a walk and stole second base with one out. Myers ` single up the middle scored Rivers for a 3-1 advantage.
UMES sliced the lead in half in the fifth inning when Mena reached on a Myers' fielding error to begin the frame. After a strikeout, Shaquille Bagwell (Atlantic, Va.) was hit by a pitch, putting runners on first and second. Tre-Von Johnson's (East New Market, Md.) sacrifice bunt moved the runners up a station and another passed ball charged to Haitsuka forced in Mena to make it, 3-2.
That was as close as UMES got, though. VMI scored three in the bottom of the fifth highlighted by an RBI triple from Myers and a run-scoring double by Spangenberg. The Keydets tacked on two more runs in the sixth for an 8-2 lead. Haitsuka singled home Rivers and Haitsuka then came in on a Spangenberg fielder's choice.
VMI reliever Alan Watts couldn't nail down the win for the Keydets in the ninth as UMES made things interesting with a pair of runs.
Alston and Chaikowsky posted consecutive base hits and Alston moved to third on a throwing error by Haitsuka. With the count full, Mena then shot a single back through the middle to score Alston. With two outs and runners on second and third, yet another passed scored Chaikowsky.
Watts left after 1.2 innings, three hits and two runs, making way for Andrew Deal. With the tying run on deck, Deal picked off Johnson at first to earn the save.
UMES travels to Arlington, Va., to play George Washington Wednesday at 2:20 p.m.
