
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, May 2, 1993                   TAG: 9305020193
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

BASEBALL-VMI MOVES INTO CONFERENCE FINAL

John Payne's fifth-inning sacrifice fly gave VMI a 5-4 lead and eighth-seeded VMI went on to upset second-seeded Western Carolina 8-4 in a semifinal bracket of the double-elimination Southern Conference tournament at Charleston, S.C. This is the first time an eight-seeded squad has advanced to the championship game.

Trailing 4-2 heading into the bottom of the fifth inning, Keydet Louie Napoleon singled with one out. Following a walk to Warren Williams, Brian Adams tripled to knot the game at 4-4. After a pitching change, Payne lofted the ball to right field to score Adams.

VMI added two runs in the sixth on RBI singles by Payne and David Groseclose.

Terry, formerly of Cave Spring, knocked in three runs to give VMI its 20th win. The Keydets are now tied with the 1988 team for the most victories in a single season. The Keydets are 20-27; the 1988 team went 20-20.

In the other semifinal bracket, Georgia Southern and Davidson played late Saturday for a chance to meet Western Carolina. The winner of that game will face VMI in the championship at 3 p.m. today. If the Keydets lose, they will play again at 7 p.m.

by CNB