Marshall University Athletics
Marshall Baseball Set For Three-Game Series At VMI
3/13/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 13, 2008
LEXINGTON, Va. - The Marshall University baseball team gets set for a three-game weekend series with the VMI Keydets, starting Friday, March 14 at 4:00 p.m. at Gray-Minor Stadium.
Marshall enters this weekend's games on a three-game winning streak and stands at 5-6 overall. VMI is 4-9 overall.
Marshall leads the all-time series with the Keydets 42-33, and won the last meeting between the schools 13-12 in 2000.
Marshall earned a three-game sweep of Valparaiso to snap its previous four-game losing skid.
The Herd chalked up a 9-4 victory Tuesday, and then earned the series sweep with victories in both games of Wednesday's doubleheader, 12-6 (seven innings) and 12-10 in nine innings.
In Tuesday's victory, junior center fielder Nate Lape hit a pair of home runs, while freshman second baseman Kenny Socorro added one long-ball to lead the Herd in the win. Senior designated hitter Jeff Rowley, senior catcher Tommy Johnson, junior shortstop Adam Yeager, and junior right fielder Kurt Lipton each added a double in the contest.
Sophomore right-hander Dan Straily earned the victory, his first of the season to improve to 1-1 on the season. Straily pitched 5.0 innings with seven strikeouts and allowed just two runs on two hits.
In Wednesday's doubleheader, Marshall won game one 12-6 (seven innings) and game two 12-10 in nine innings.
In the second game, Marshall used a four-run seventh to tie the game at 9 and force extra innings. The teams traded runs in the eighth inning before senior right-handed reliever Andrew Hancock hurled a one-two-three ninth. In the bottom of the inning, Johnson ended the game with a two-run blast to right field, his fourth home run of the season.
In game one, Marshall broke a 6-6 tie in the bottom fifth inning when Lape led-off the inning with a blast to right center field, his second of the game. Lipton followed with a single, stole second, advanced to third on a passed ball, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Valle. Casamassima, who reached on a free pass, eventually scored on Gomez's RBI single.
The Herd added three more runs in the bottom of the sixth to put the game out of reach.
Lape finished the series going 8-for-12 with four home runs and 10 RBIs.
Marshall will pitch junior left-hander Andrew Blain in Friday's game, and will start junior right-hander Steve Blevins Saturday. Straily will get the ball in Sunday's series finale. Each of the Herd's starters is 1-1 on the season.
VMI is led by Tanner Biagini's .521 average. He has four doubles, three home runs and 15 RBIs on the season for the Keydets.
VMI will start southpaw Trey Barham (1-1) Friday, and will pitch right-hander Michael Bowman (0-2) on Saturday. Sunday's starter is yet to be determined.
