CHARLESTON, S.C. – CSU managed to split a Saturday double header against VMI with a 2-0 win, after dropping the first game 7-2 Saturday afternoon at Buccaneer Field.

Brian Sole led the Bucs offensively in game one going one for three and scoring one of the Bucs two runs. Ryan Sowers took the loss as the relief pitcher, giving up five hits and striking out two batters. Holmen took the mound in the second game, throwing a no-hitter for six and two-thirds innings. Holmen pitched eight innings and recorded six strikeouts. Keith Stewart had two hits and one RBI in game two.

Game one was eerily similar to yesterday’s game, with both pitchers having outstanding outings. Neither team could manage a hit until the fourth inning, when VMI hit a single into center field. The Keydets finally got on the board in the fifth inning when a single by Shane Geisslinger went just over the head of CSU second baseman Drew Grosse, allowing Stephen Parsons to score from second base.

CSU finally scored in the seventh, when they loaded the bases with two outs, and after six innings giving up only one hit, starting pitcher J.J. Hollenbeck walked in two runs to tie the game at 2-2. A pop up to right field ended the inning.

VMI threatened again in the top of the ninth when they loaded the bases with nobody out. A short chopper to Brad Woods at third left him without a play, allowing VMI to score one and leave the bases loaded, giving them the 3-2 lead. A wild pitch by Ryan Sowers allowed B.T. Good to score, and a base hit by Jacoby Fields into center field scored Stephen Parsons. The runs kept coming for the Keydets as Geisslinger scored on a ground ball to third, and a sacrifice fly by Crumpler scored Fields from third when the throw from left fielder Jay Reynolds hit Fields in the back, allowing him to score safely. A ground ball back to the pitcher ended the inning, but the damage had been done, as VMI took a 7-2 lead into the bottom of the ninth inning.

CSU grabbed its first lead of the series in game two when Senior Billy Dalton laid a bunt down the third baseline and dove into first to beat it out. Reynolds scored from third on the play to grab a 1-0 lead for the Bucs in the bottom of the third inning. CSU added to their lead on a bizarre play when Keith Stewart hit a ball over the left field fence but passed Graham Maiden on the base path, resulting in one run for the Bucs. The two runs would be enough as Holmen pitched eight shut out innings before bringing Nino Fasulo in to record the save.

The Bucs will take the field again as they travel across Charleston to take on The Citadel April 22.