LEXINGTON, Va. ? Sophomore Sam Roberts' third home run in two days gave VMI a 12-11 win over Rider on Sunday afternoon at Gray-Minor Stadium. 

The blast made a winner of Roberts (1-1) on the mound after he had allowed a run in the top of the eighth, giving the Broncs (3-4) a one-run advantage.  The Keydets (5-7) then answered in the bottom of the eighth, as Jordan Ballard reached on an infield single with one out.  Roberts, who had not hit a collegiate home run entering the weekend, sent Mike Petrowski's 1-1 offering beyond the left-center field wall.

Petrowski (0-3) took his second loss of the weekend, allowing two runs on three hits in the game's final two innings.

After falling behind 3-0 through the first two innings, VMI scored 10 unanswered runs in the next three innings.  After run-scoring knocks from Graham Sullivan and Jacob Morley in the third, the Keydets took the lead with a seven-run fourth inning.  George Piccirilli and A.J. Yoder each contributed two-run singles, before a double steal accounted for another run.  Ballard later drove home a pair on a left field double in the fourth, while Alex Haitsuka's second home run of the weekend gave VMI a 10-3 advantage through five innings.

Keydet starter John Phelps lasted six innings on the afternoon, surrendering four runs, three earned, on eight hits, striking out four.  The Broncs broke out in the seventh inning off a pair of Keydet relievers, scoring six runs to knot the score at 10.  After Adam Lopez failed to retire either of the first two hitters of the inning, Karter Rivera surrendered four hits while hitting a batter, allowing the Broncs to take starter Jimmer Kennedy off the hook after allowing eight runs, four earned, in 3.1 innings.

Rider took an 11-10 lead in the eighth off of Roberts when James Hayes scored on Sean Olson's base hit into shallow right field.  Roberts escaped the inning by inducing an around-the-horn double play, setting up his offensive heroics.

The Keydets were led at the dish by Ballard (3-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI), Yoder (2-for-5, 2 RBI) and Piccirilli (2-for-2, 2 RBI, 2 R).  The Broncs saw no less than six players notch multiple hits, led by Nick Wojnowski (3-for-3, RBI), Hayes (2-for-4, 2B, 3 R) and Maurice Williams (2-for-4, 2 RBI).

VMI returns to action on Tuesday afternoon, traveling to Norfolk to take on Norfolk State at 4 p.m.