LEXINGTON, Va.- Playing a season opener on post for the first time in 27 years, VMI split a doubleheader with Lafayette on Saturday afternoon, with the Keydets winning game one 7-1, while the Leopards held on for a 7-5 game two decision. The teams meet in the rubber game of the series on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. at Gray-Minor Stadium.

Keydet starter Trey Barham and reliever Chris Henderson (1-0) combined to allow only one run in the first contest, while senior second baseman Shane Geisslinger managed four RBI from the leadoff spot to lead the Keydets to the win. A five-run rally in the Lafayette eighth inning broke a 2-2 tie in game two that VMI could not overcome.

"I thought we came out with good energy today and put out a good opening day effort," said VMI head coach Marlin Ikenberry. "Mike Roberts and Shane Geisslinger came up with some big hits in the win in game two, and Chris Henderson did an outstanding job in relief, getting seven punchouts in three and two-thirds innings. In game two, I thought that Michael Bowman pitched well enough to win, but we just slept through the middle innings, which you kind of expect on an opening day doubleheader. We played some young guys today, and I was really impressed with how Alex Haitsuka and Graham Sullivan responded in particular. I'm excited about what this offense can do, but at the same time, you can't give up the big innings, especially to a good team like Lafayette. They play hard, they're well-coached, and took advantage of our mistakes in the eighth inning to win the second game."

The opener began as a pitcher's duel, as Leopard senior Kevin Reese (0-1) and Barham traded zeroes for the first four innings. Sophomore Jordan Ballard claimed VMI's second hit of the contest in the fifth inning, a single through the left-side, before Justin Hess reached on a fielding error by the first baseman to put runners on the corners with two outs. The Keydets then put on a double steal when the Lafayette catcher, Tom Ambrosole, through to second base, and Ballard just beat the throw back home to break the scoreless tie. It marked VMI's first steal of home since the home opener last season, when Chad Rice scored on a double steal against Bucknell on Feb. 20.

The Leopards answered with a run in the top of the sixth, as Barham left the contest with Lafayette leadoff man Chris Luick at second base with one out. Henderson entered the contest and induced a groundout, but let loose a wild pitch that knotted the game at one before escaping further damage in the sixth.

A.J. Yoder responded with a roundtripper to rightfield to leadoff the bottom of the sixth, giving the Keydets the lead for good off of Reese. After the Keydets failed to muster more offense in the sixth, Henderson struck out the side in the seventh to once again shift the pressure back to the Lafayette dugout.

Playing loose with the lead, the Keydets produced a pair of runs in the seventh inning, with the RBI coming off the bats of Geisslinger and Mike Roberts against Lafayette reliever Brad Woodfield. Geisslinger returned to the dish an inning later and cleared the bases with his double down the left-field line, bringing the final margin to 7-1.

Geisslinger's four RBI represented a career best for the Midlothian, Va. native, while Henderson's seven strikeouts matched his career-high.

The second game of the day began much like the last game ended. After VMI starter Michael Bowman set down the Leopards in order to start the first, Geisslinger led off the bottom-half with a double into left-centerfield before advancing to third on a sacrifice bunt from Yoder. Roberts' single into centerfield gave the hosts a 1-0 lead, though the visitors answered quickly with Ambrosole notching his first homerun of the season with two outs in the second inning.

The Keydets tallied an unearned run in the third, as Yoder reached on a fielding error by the second baseman, stole second base before finding his way home on a pair of groundouts, the second by senior Thane Smith. Once again, Lafayette responded immediately, as a leadoff walk issued to Daniel Bierce resulted in an unearned run, as Smith misplayed a Tom Hayes single in leftfield to allow the tying run to score.

A pair of baserunning blunders cost the Keydets an opportunity to answer in the bottom of the fourth, as Bowman and Lafayette starter Jeremy Atkins traded zeroes through the middle innings. The Keydets mounted a serious threat in the seventh inning, as a Geisslinger bunt single and a Yoder plunking chased Atkins from the contest in favor of Brian Mostek (1-0). After walking pinch-hitter Justin Topping, Mostek got out of the bases-loaded situation by getting Brian Sandridge to groundout to shortstop.

The Leopards broke the game open in the eighth. Bowman began the inning by plunking Jeff Butler before giving up back-to-back doubles, the second by Ryan Froio to bring home both runners and push Lafayette ahead 4-2. Bowman was lifted in favor of Daniel Wood, who surrendered three more runs via a balk, a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly to push the lead to 7-2.

The Keydets cut into the margin in the bottom of the eighth, when Mostek led off the inning by hitting both Ballard and Alex Haitsuka, setting the stage for Tanner Biagini's first career home run, a three-run shot off the top of the rightfield wall to bring the margin to 7-5. But Mostek retired the final four Keydet hitters in order to quell any chance of a further comeback.

Geisslinger followed up his 2-for-5 game one with a 2-for-4 game two effort, leading the Keydets on the day with four RBI. Roberts also notched four hits on the afternoon, including a 3-for-4 line in game one, while Haitsuka went 2-for-2 in his first collegiate game. Ballard's 2-for-3 game one line included three runs scored and a stolen base, one of five for VMI in the doubleheader.

The Keydets saw Barham allow one run on three hits through 5.1 innings, notching four K's, while Henderson was not charged with a run in 3.2 innings, giving up three hits and no walks while striking seven. In game two, Bowman threw seven-plus innings, allowing five runs, four earned, on six hits, striking out five, followed by Wood's two-inning performance where he struck out five and allowed two runs on two hits and two walks.

Lafayette was led offensively by Luick in game one, going 3-for-4, while game two's offensive highlights came from Froio (2-for-3, two RBI) and Ambrosole (1-for-4, HR).

On the mound for the Leopards in game one, Reese took the loss despite allowing three runs, two earned, in 6.2 innings, while Woodfield surrendered four runs in one inning of work. In game two, Atkins earned a no decision while allowing two runs, one earned, on seven hits in 6.2 innings, while Mostek earned the win, allowing three runs on one hit through two and a third innings.