LEXINGTON, Va.- A day after Travis Smink earned a complete game win, teammate Chris Henderson did the same as VMI took a 13-2 decision over UNC Asheville in game two of a Big South Conference series at Gray-Minor Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Henderson (1-2) scattered five hits in his fourth career complete game, allowing only a solo home run to Kevin Weidenbacher in the eighth and an unearned run in the ninth. The senior right-hander notched six strikeouts without issuing a walk to score his second career complete game in conference play, each of which have come against UNC Asheville (3-17, 1-6 Big South).
“I can't speak highly of Chris Henderson's performance,” said VMI head coach Marlin Ikenberry. “He gave up five hits, punched out six and had no walks, what an outstanding job he did today. Our offense did what it needed to today as well. Jordan Ballard came through with two huge hits, and then Justin Topping had a great at bat to empty the bases in the sixth. I was really excited about the top of our lineup today. It's always good to win the weekend on Saturday.”
The Keydet (10-10, 4-0 Big South) offense, meanwhile, was pounding out 13 runs on 15 hits. The runs came in bunches for the home team, as VMI produced a four-run first inning, a five-run fourth and a four-run sixth. UNC Asheville starter Michael Bogaert (1-3) was tagged with the loss, allowing nine runs on 11 hits while striking out seven in five innings.
Pacing the Keydet offense was junior Jordan Ballard, who finished the day 3-for-3 with a career-best six RBI thanks to a two-run double in the first inning and a fourth-inning grand slam. Sophomore Justin Topping matched his career high with four RBI, with three of those coming on a bases-loaded double in the sixth. A.J. Yoder, Tanner Biagini, Alex Haitsuka and Jacob Morley each chipped in with two hits in the contest as well.
VMI strung together four consecutive hits to open the bottom of the first inning, with Ballard plating a pair with his double into left field. Topping followed with an RBI groundout, before Haitsuka brought the score to 4-0 with his single through the left-side of the infield.
The Keydets tacked on five more in the fourth. Graham Sullivan chased home Haitsuka with his base hit up the middle, before Ballard launched his team-best fifth home run of the season over the left-field wall to bring the margin to 9-0.
VMI rallied with two outs in the sixth to cap its scoring. Biagini's safety into left field plated Yoder, before Topping's two-bagger off of the center field wall cleared the bases to bring the margin to 13-0.
Henderson, meanwhile, allowed only five base runners through the first eight innings, including Weidenbacher's home run to lead off the eighth. The right-hander allowed multiple base runners in the same inning only once, as Danny Baatz reached on a leadoff error before Justin Schumer doubled into left field in the ninth. Henderson rebounded to retire the next three hitters to wrap up VMI's second straight CG.
It marked the first time that Keydets have thrown back-to-back complete games since Jimmy Thoms and J.J. Hollenbeck did so against Longwood on April 8 & 9, 2005.
The teams wrap up the series on Sunday afternoon at Gray-Minor Stadium, with first pitch set for 1 p.m.
