2010 KEYDET BASEBALL VMI BASEBALL GAME NOTES VMI BASEBALL GAME NOTES VMI BASEBALL GAME NOTES VMI BASEBALL GAME NOTES No. 28 VMI (18-2, 2-1 Big South) at James Madison (8-10, 2-1 CAA) March 24; Veterans Memorial Park Date Opponent Time/Result Probable Starting Pitchers Feb. 20 Bucknell (DH) W, 9-4;W, 6-5 VMI Coby Cowgill, Fr., RHP (3-0, 3.24) vs. JMU Alex Valadja, Jr., LHP (0-2, 10.67) Feb. 21 Bucknell W, 8-2 Feb. 27 Lafayette (DH) W, 16-8;W, 14-2 VMI, ranked 28th in the nation, opens in- shortstop. Roberts leads the Big South and ranks Feb. 28 Lafayette W, 7-6 state play Wednesday by taking on Preseason 12th nationally with 32 RBIs, driving in multiple March 2 at Maryland W, 7-6 (11) CAA favorite JMU in Harrisonburg. runs in 10 of VMI’s 20 games this season. March 5 Maryland Eastern Shore W, 18-4 The Keydets are coming off an impressive The Keydets face a JMU squad that opened March 6 Maryland Eastern Shore W, 20-1 March 7 Maryland Eastern Shore W, 8-4 week that saw them sweep a two-game set at the year 3-7, but has rebounded to win five of its March 8 Bryant L, 5-8 Southern Conference-leading The Citadel, before last eight, including a CAA series win over March 11 La Salle W, 12-8 winning two of three at High Point to open Big Towson. Pitching has been the issue for the March 12 La Salle W, 5-3 South Conference play. That earned the Keydets Dukes, as the team has posted a 7.57 ERA, allow- March 13 La Salle W, 14-4 a two-spot jump in the Collegiate Baseball poll, ing 15 or more runs three times this year. March 14 La Salle W, 11-1 while VMI also gained five votes in the ESPN/USA Wednesday’s contest is expected to pit March 16 at The Citadel W, 4-3 Today Coaches’ Poll and continued to receive Keydet freshman right-hander Coby Cowgill (3-0, March 17 at The Citadel W, 12-1 March 19 at High Point * W, 5-4 votes in the NCBWA Writers’ Poll. 3.24 ERA) against Duke junior left-hander Alex March 20 at High Point * W, 5-2 At 18-2, the Keydets are off to their best Valadja (0-2, 10.67 ERA). Cowgill is coming off a March 21 at High Point * L, 14-15 start in school history, two games ahead of the complete-game outing at The Citadel, when he March 24 at James Madison 6:30 p.m. 16-4 mark the 2007 squad put up through 20 allowed just an unearned run on four hits. March 26 Charleston Southern * 5 p.m. games. Leading the way has been an offense Though Valadja has struggled this season, the March 27 Charleston Southern * 2 p.m. that ranks third in the nation in batting average left-hander looked sharp against the Keydets last March 28 Charleston Southern * 1 p.m. (.372) and home runs (39) and fourth nationally in season, as he took the win by allowing just two March 30 at Virginia Tech 5:30 p.m. April 2 at UNC Asheville * 3 p.m. slugging percentage (.619). runs in five innings in the team’s match-up in April 3 at UNC Asheville * (DH) 1 p.m. Cory Spangenberg has gotten off to an Harrisonburg. April 6 Longwood 5 p.m. impressive start in his first year on Post, leading The game will be broadcast online by the April 7 James Madison 5 p.m. the Big South and ranking among the top 20 VMI Sports Network, as fans can listen in at April 9 at Gardner-Webb * 6 p.m. nationally with 37 hits. In addition, the second www.VMIKeydets.com. This weekend against April 10 at Gardner-Webb * 2 p.m. baseman is currently on a 16-game hitting streak Charleston Southern, each of the games will be April 11 at Gardner-Webb * 2 p.m. that stands as the longest by a freshman in 2010. broadcast both online and on Lexington’s WREL April 14 Virginia 6 p.m. April 16 at Liberty * 7 p.m. His middle infield partner, Sam Roberts, 1450 AM. Fans can also watch the final two April 17 at Liberty * 4 p.m. received national recognition on Tuesday, as he games of this weekend’s series on the Big South April 18 at Liberty * 1 p.m. was listed on the Brooks Wallace Award Watch Network at www.BigSouthSports.com. April 20 VCU 6 p.m. List, given annually to the nation’s top collegiate April 21 at William & Mary 7 p.m. April 23 Coastal Carolina * 6 p.m. Probable Starters April 24 Coastal Carolina * 3 p.m. Yr. AVG R 2B 3B HR RBI SLG OBP SB-A April 25 Coastal Carolina * 1 p.m. SS Sam Roberts Jr. .388 28 5 1 7 32 .738 .485 6-10 April 27 Virginia Tech 6 p.m. 2B Cory Spangenberg Fr. .420 25 6 0 5 23 .659 .457 14-15 April 28 at VCU 7 p.m. 3B Tanner Biagini Sr. .360 21 7 0 4 12 .613 .429 3-3 April 30 Radford * 6 p.m. May 1 Radford * 4 p.m. LF Graham Sullivan Jr. .407 26 11 0 5 25 .728 .467 4-6 May 2 Radford * 1 p.m. 1B Jordan Ballard Sr. .333 19 4 0 9 24 .731 .398 1-1 May 11 Richmond 6 p.m. DH Justin Topping Jr. .316 8 2 0 0 7 .368 .357 3-3 May 14 Winthrop * 6 p.m. CF Rob Dickinson Fr. .365 11 4 0 2 13 .558 .393 2-3 May 15 Winthrop * 6 p.m. C Alex Haitsuka Jr. .478 11 2 0 1 6 .587 .538 2-2 May 16 Winthrop * 6 p.m. RF Jacob Morley So. .309 17 5 1 1 15 .456 .390 2-3 May 18 at Virginia 6 p.m. Off the Bench May 20 Presbyterian * 6 p.m. IF Steele Myers So. .500 4 3 1 1 9 1.000 .529 0-1 May 21 Presbyterian * 4 p.m. C Andrew Montague Fr. .462 6 3 0 0 4 .692 .462 0-1 May 22 Presbyterian * 1 p.m. IF Chase Worthington So. .444 5 2 0 1 2 .722 .474 0-1 May 25-29 at Big South Tournament Rock Hill, S.C. OF Ombri Rivers Fr. .400 11 3 0 0 2 .550 .520 4-6 VMI’s Record in 2010... Baseball Climbs to 28th in also going 3-0 in the weekend pitching rotation. Collegiate Baseball Poll: He has 11 games with multiple hits this season Overall . .18-2 and 10 contests with multiple RBIs, including Following a week that saw VMI sweep back-to-back outings with five runs driven in Big South . .2-1 Southern Conference leaders The Citadel and win apiece. Non-Conference . .16-1 its conference-opening series at High Point, the Keydets moved up two spots in the Collegiate At Home . .13-1 Baseball Poll to attain its highest-ever national Going Streaking: On the Road . .5-1 ranking at 28th on Monday, March 22. VMI also Cory Spangenberg is currently on a 16- gained five votes in the ESPN/USA Today game hitting streak that stands as the longest in At Home (Big South) . .0-0 Coaches’ Poll and received votes in the National the country this year by a freshman. During the On the Road (Big South) . .2-1 Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Poll. run, he is hitting .437 with 17 RBIs, 23 R and four VMI earned just the third national ranking in home runs. At Home (Non-Conference) . .13-1 program history the week before, when Collegiate Graham Sullivan has hit .434 with eight On the Road (Non-Conference) . .3-0 Baseball listed the Keydets 30th in the country, doubles, five home runs, 22 RBIs and 20 runs In Extra-Inning Games . .1-0 just as they did in consecutive weeks back in scored in just the past 13 games. In addition, he March 2007. VMI then took both games at The has multiple hits, a run scored and an RBI in five Vs. Nationally-Ranked Teams . .0-0 Citadel, rallying in the ninth inning to win 4-3 on of the past six games, with homers in four of the Vs. In-State Teams . .0-0 Tuesday before pounding out 18 hits in a 12-1 last six outings. victory Wednesday. Jordan Ballard is currently on a seven- Playing a Day Game . .15-2 The Keydets then opened Big South play by game hitting streak, during which he has hit .500 Playing a Night Game . .3-0 taking on High Point, winning Friday night’s game (15 for 30) with three doubles, four home runs, nine runs scored and 15 RBIs. He also has more In First Game of a Doubleheader . .3-0 5-3 thanks to another ninth-inning rally, before taking the series with a 5-2 win on Saturday. than one hit in six of the seven contests. In Second Game of a Doubleheader . .3-0 Going for the sweep on Sunday, the Keydets fell Four Keydets have started every game this In Single Games . .12-2 behind 11-2 in the second inning but erased the season, including Jacob Morley, Sam Roberts, Cory deficit to take a 14-13 lead in the top of the ninth, Spangenberg and Graham Sullivan.