2008 KEYDET BASEBALL VMI BASEBALL GAME NOTES VMI BASEBALL GAME NOTES VMI BASEBALL GAME NOTES VMI BASEBALL GAME NOTES Radford (15-12, 2-1) at VMI (12-15, 4-2) April 5-6/7 Gray-Minor Stadium Probable Starting Pitchers RU Eric Evans, Sr., LHP (2-3, 4.54 ERA) vs. VMI Trey Barham, Sr., LHP (2-3, 4.46 ERA) RU Adam Hoyt, So., LHP (3-1, 3.12 ERA) vs. VMI Chris Henderson, Jr., RHP (3-3, 2.23 ERA) RU Mark Beppler, R-Jr., LHP (3-0, 4.88 ERA) vs. VMI Michael Bowman, Jr., RHP (1-3, 3.86 ERA) Date Opponent Time/Result VMI enters its third Big South Conference three meetings. In last year’s series at Dedmon Feb. 23 Lafayette (DH) W, 7-1; L, 5-7 series of the season with a league-best 4-2 mark Center Park, RU took the opener, 4-3, before VMI Feb. 24 Lafayette L, 9-11 Feb. 29 Binghamton W, 11-7 as Radford comes to Gray-Minor Stadium this claimed a 12-9 decision in ten innings in game Mar. 1 Binghamton (DH) L, 3-4; W, 9-7 weekend. two. After surrendering early leads in each of the Mar. 2 Central Connecticut St. W, 7-2 The Keydets, who are 2-0 to begin a seven- first two games, the Keydets made an early 7-0 Mar. 4 Virginia Ppd. game stretch against in-state opponents, took lead stand up in the Sunday game, taking the Mar. 6 at Auburn L, 3-9 Mar. 7 at Auburn L, 4-6 care of business this week, defeating Richmond series with a 7-5 win. Mar. 8 at Auburn L, 1-10 9-5 at home before claiming a 7-3 win in Norfolk A pair of senior left-handers with identical 2- Mar. 9 at Auburn L, 5-6 over Old Dominion. Eight different pitchers 3 records get the series underway this weekend, Mar. 11 Old Dominion L, 6-7 worked in the two games, allowing a total of 11 as Radford’s Eric Evans will oppose Trey Barham. Mar. 12 at William & Mary L, 3-12 Mar. 14 Marshall L, 3-4 hits to a pair of well-regarded offenses. Evans closed out each game last year against Mar. 15 Marshall L, 1-5 Radford enters the weekend set after drop- VMI, earning a save while allowing only one Mar. 16 Marshall L, 2-7 ping mid-week contests to Virginia Tech (9-5) and unearned run in four innings of work. Barham, Mar. 19 at Norfolk State W, 11-2 Mar. 21 at High Point* W, 5-4 JMU. The Highlanders took two of three last meanwhile, needs five strikeouts to overtake Duke Mar. 22 at High Point* (DH) W, 5-3; W, 3-0 weekend at home against Charleston Southern to Acors ‘05 for VMI’s career lead in K’s, as the Mar. 25 William and Mary W, 9-8 open Big South play, winning games one and Portsmouth, Va. native enters the series with 241 Mar. 26 at James Madison L, 4-8 three against the Bucs. in his career. Mar. 28 Winthrop* L, 3-11 Mar. 29 Winthrop* W, 5-4 Under first year head coach Joe Raccuia, the The game two matchup will feature Radford Mar. 30 Winthrop* L, 0-4 Highlanders claimed one of the Big South’s mar- sophomore southpaw Adam Hoyt (3-1) against Apr. 1 Richmond W, 9-5 quee wins of the season, handing Charlotte their VMI junior righty Chris Henderson (3-3). Apr. 2 at Old Dominion W, 7-3 Apr. 5 Radford* 6 p.m. only home loss of 2008. Henderson and Hoyt each worked seven innings Apr. 6 Radford* 1 p.m. RU is once again led offensively by junior in starts last year, with Hoyt taking a no decision Apr. 6/7 Radford* TBA Alex Gregory, a First Team All-Conference selec- on Friday and Henderson earning the Sunday win. Apr. 8 VCU 6 p.m. tion last season. Gregory’s five home runs and 29 The finale features a duel of juniors, with Apr. 9 at Longwood 6 p.m. Apr. 11 at UNC Asheville* 3 p.m. RBIs are a team-best, while Reggie Keen leads RU’s Mark Beppler (3-0) opposing VMI’s Michael Apr. 12 at UNC Asheville* 2 p.m. the team with a .423 batting average. As a team, Bowman (1-3). Beppler was redshirted last sea- Apr. 13 at UNC Asheville* 1 p.m. RU bats .313, as five regulars enter the series son, while Bowman, a 2007 Second Team All-Big Apr. 15 James Madison 6 p.m. Apr. 16 Norfolk State 6 p.m. hitting at least .325. South selection, worked six innings while allowing Apr. 18 at Liberty* 7 p.m. In recent history, VMI has taken two of three three runs while taking a no decision on Friday. Apr. 19 at Liberty* 4 p.m. over the Highlanders in each of the teams’ past Apr. 20 at Liberty* 1 p.m. Apr. 22 Coppin State 6 p.m. Apr. 23 Coppin State 6 p.m. Probable Lineup Apr. 25 Coastal Carolina* 7 p.m. Yr. AVG H 2B 3B HR RBI SLG OBP SB-A Apr. 26 Coastal Carolina* 6 p.m. RF Sam Roberts Fr. .333 20 4 0 0 6 .400 .453 4-5 Apr. 27 Coastal Carolina* 1 p.m. Apr. 29 at VCU 7 p.m. SS A.J. Yoder Jr. .282 20 4 0 1 7 .380 .386 2-3 Apr. 30 Virginia Tech 6 p.m. 3B Tanner Biagini So. .374 40 6 0 4 25 .542 .409 1-1 May 9 Maryland-Eastern Shore 6 p.m. C Mike Roberts Jr. .354 29 7 0 2 18 .512 .393 4-4 May 10 Maryland-Eastern Shore 6 p.m. May 11 Maryland-Eastern Shore 1 p.m. 1B Jordan Ballard So. .268 22 4 0 7 16 .573 .371 2-3 May 13 at Virginia 6 p.m. DH Brian Sandridge R-So. .296 21 3 0 4 16 .507 .346 1-2 May 14 Longwood 6 p.m. May 16 Charleston Southern* 7 p.m. LF Thane Smith R-Sr .171 12 3 1 1 8 .286 .284 2-3 May 17 Charleston Southern* 6 p.m. CF Justin Hess So. .273 21 4 0 1 5 .364 .371 6-10 May 18 Charleston Southern* 1 p.m. 2B Shane Geisslinger Sr. .304 31 6 1 0 11 .382 .374 8-9 May 20-24 at Big South Tournament TBD VMI’s Record in 2008..... Henderson Racks Up Strikeouts 21 (.429) with three doubles and three multiple- Junior hurler Chris Henderson, despite post- hit games. Overall . .12-15 ing impressive numbers, was never considered a His work at the plate only tells part of the story, as he also leads the team with four outfield Big South . .4-2 strikeout pitcher in his first two years at VMI, striking out 79 batters in 111 innings. assists while playing right field, throwing out a Non-Conference . .8-13 That belief has been shattered this season, pair of runners at the plate. At Home . .7-9 as Henderson currently leads the Big South with 45 strikeouts in 40.1 innings, thanks in large On the Road . .5-6 Ballard Bashes part to back-to-back double-digit strikeout games Over a four-game stretch in mid-March, At Home (Big South) . .1-2 in conference play. sophomore first baseman Jordan Ballard went on On the Road (Big South) . .3-0 In his first league appearance, Henderson a tear, hitting four home runs against High Point, struck out ten against High Point in seven William & Mary and James Madison. At Home (Non-Conference) . .6-7 innings before striking out 11 against Winthrop Ballard went 4-for-14 during the stretch, On the Road (Non-Conference) . .2-6 in eight innings. He did not walk a batter in hitting a three-run shot in the top of the ninth either appearance, and also leads the Big South In Extra-Inning Games . .0-0 inning of the first game of a doubleheader at (tied) by issuing only four walks all year. High Point (3/22), to bring the Keydets from Vs. Top 25 Teams . .0-0 The right-hander currently ranks atop the behind on their way to a 5-3 win. Vs. In-State Teams . .4-3 Keydet career recordbook by issuing only 1.72 Ballard hit a solo home run in the second walks per nine innings in his career. In his two- inning against William & Mary (3/25) before hit- Playing a Day Game . .8-12 plus years with the Keydets, Henderson now has ting solo shots in both the fifth and ninth innings Playing a Night Game . .4-3 124 strikeouts and 29 walks in 151.1 innings. at JMU (3/26). The Troy, Va. native now leads the team In First Game of a Doubleheader . .2-1 Keydets Top League Pitching Charts with seven home runs and a .573 slugging per- In Second Game of a Doubleheader . .2-1 Midway through the season, the VMI pitch- centage, while also ranking second on the In Single Games . .8-13 ing staff currently tops the Big South ledger in Keydets with 18 runs scored. He also ranks several categories. third in the Big South with his seven dingers. In one-run games . .3-4 The Keydets currently lead the league by In two-run games .