March 18, 2003
Box Score
Lexington, Va. -- VMI used four homeruns, including two from freshman Kelly
Sweppenhiser en route to an 8-4 win over
Marist on Tuesday at Patchin Field.
Marist (6-5) jumped on the board in the top of the first inning when Matt
Griffiths came home on Keith Brachold's grounder to third. The Red Foxes
picked up another run on Tim Allen's two-out double down the left field line
off VMI senior pitcher Jeremy Harper, scoring John McGorty, to increase the lead to 2-0 after half an
inning of play.
The Keydets (7-11, 4-2 SoCon) didn't waste much time to answer as
Sweppenhiser drilled an offering from Marist's Lucas Robinson over the
left-center field wall for a three-run homer. Sophomore Matt Smith
and senior Justin Briggs crossed the plate on Sweppenhiser's bomb, giving VMI a 3-2
advantage after the first inning.
The lead grew in the bottom of the second when sophomore Elliott Erbe
hammered a pitch to right-center field
for a solo homer and a 4-2 advantage. The Keydets continued to put runs on
the board via the long ball in the second frame as freshman Allan Wimmer
crushed a three-run homer to right-center
field, scoring sophomore Jon Wade and Briggs.
Sweppenhiser followed Wimmer with his second homer of the day, a solo shot
to left-center field, to increase the margin to 8-2 after two innings.
The score remained the same until the the top of the fifth when the Red
Foxes scored on a sacrifice fly from Griffiths, bringing Andy Kiriakedes
home to trim the lead to 8-3. Marist added another run in the sixth inning
on a Jimmy Board single down the right field line to score Mike Sidoti,
making it an 8-4 game.
From there, VMI freshman J.J. Hollenbeck shut
the door, pitching the final three innings to earn his first career save.
Harper pitched six innings, giving up four runs on five hits while striking
out five, to pick up the win. Robinson was given the loss.
VMI will host Furman on Saturday in a doubleheader, starting at noon. Marist
will next play on Thursday at 3 p.m. when they battle Pace University in
Pleasantville, N.Y.
