FARMVILLE, Va. - Peyton Maddox went 2 for 4 with two doubles helping the VMI Keydets down the Longwood Lancers, 6-4, in non-conference baseball action Wednesday in Farmville, Va.
The Keydets (12-13) led nearly wire to wire, as they had a 3-0 lead just six batters into the game and were up 5-0 headed to the bottom of the third. Longwood (10-16) cut it to 5-3 in the fifth, but a Maddox RBI double in the sixth gave the Keydets their final run of the night and helped them stave off the game's final run, a solo home run by Justin Mitchell in the bottom of the inning.
The Keydets took the lead just five batters into the game. Jacob Jaye, Maddox and Tyler Tharp drew consecutive walks with one out and Collin Fleischer had a sacrifice fly to score a run. Jake Huggins then singled home two more runs and it was a 3-0 VMI lead.
That margin grew to 5-0 in the third when Collin Fleischer and Mason Adamson singled home runs. Longwood put two on the board in the third and another in the fifth, but the Keydets turned the momentum around in the sixth and they did it with two out. Jaye singled and Maddox followed with a double, making it a 6-3 contest.
Mitchell led off the bottom of the inning with a solo shot, but Derek Tremblay pitched around two hits in the seventh and Mason Adamson struck out four of the final five hitters in the process of recording his fourth save.
Jonathan Clines (1-0) earned the victory in his first career start, as he allowed two runs in 2 1/3 innings and Adamson allowed just one walk in two hitless innings for the save. Longwood starter Zach Potojecki (2-3) took the loss.
VMI baseball will return to action Friday, when the Keydets take on Samford at Gray-Minor Stadium. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.
VMI 6, Longwood 4 (March 29, 2017 at Farmville, Va.)
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VMI 302 001 000 - 6 10 0 (12-13)
LWU 002 011 000 - 4 9 0 (10-16)
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VMI - Clines; Roden (3); Fuqua (5); Tremblay (7); Adamson (8) and Maddox.
LONGWOOD - Potojecki; Wirsu (2); Farkas (4); Peterson (6); Boydstun (7); Harp (8) and Mendez.
W - Clines (1-0) S - Adamson (4) L - Potojecki (2-3)
HR LWU - Mitchell (3)
T - 3:16 A - 218
