HIGH POINT, N.C. – VMI scored two runs in the top of the 16th inning to break a 2-2 tie and grab a 4-2 win over the High Point University baseball team on Sunday afternoon at Williard Stadium. The 16-inning affair was the longest in HPU Div. I history.
“Runners left on base was the story of the game today for us,” head coach Craig Cozart said. “We had a ton of opportunities to win this game today and couldn’t come through. We had hits today, but not when they really counted. Our offense is pretty stagnant right now. We had opportunities to win yesterday and today but when you fail to cash in you get a lot of losses like we have this season.”
Brandon Angus delivered the big hit in the 16th for the Keydets with an RBI triple that fell just out of the reach of a diving Dane McDermott to score David Geary, who led off the inning with a walk. Eric Mayers then hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Angus, putting VMI ahead, 4-2.
Junior John Maloney took the loss for the Panthers, dropping to 2-3 on the season. The HPU closer pitched four innings and allowed tow runs on three hits and four walks while striking out three.
Miles McQuaig pitched the final 1-2/3 innings to earn the win for VMI, allowing just one walk to improve to 1-0 on the season.
High Point drops the series to VMI with the loss. The Panthers fall to 20-16 overall and 8-7 in the Big South. VMI improves to 20-14 overall and moves into a tie with HPU at 8-7 in conference play.
VMI scored twice in the third inning to take an early 2-0 lead over the Panthers. The Keydets loaded the bases with one before an error by junior Tony Fortier-Bensen on a perfect double-play ball off the bat of Angus allowed two runs to score.
High Point tied the game one inning later on an RBI single from junior Brady Williamson, which scored both senior Kyle Brandenburg and freshman Josh Greene. The two HPU base runners reached on a walk and a hit by pitch and were bunted over by senior Spencer Angelis before scoring on the Williamson single.
HPU starter Andre Scrubb walked the bases loaded in the fifth, forcing a change by the Panthers. Junior Connor Lourey relieved Scrubb and got a double play to escpae the jam. The right hander pitched 7-2/3 scoreless innings of relief , allowing four hits and three walks while striking out a career-high nine.
High Point’s best chance to win the game came in the 11th inning on a two-out single by Angelis but freshman Chris Clare was tagged out at home just before sliding across with the winning run.
The 16-inning loss to the Keydets eclipsed the previous Panther record for most inning played in a single game in the HPU Div. I era. The previous record was 14 innings, which HPU played in a loss to Wake Forest on April 9, 2013.
High Point continues its current seven-game home stand on Tuesday, April 15, when the team plays host to inter-Triad rival UNC Greensboro. The game is second half of a home-and-home series. The Panthers picked up a 7-4 win in Greensboro on Feb. 26 in the first of two games against the Spartans.