LEXINGTON, Va. – Despite a three-run home run from sophomore Brett Cook, Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) defeated the VMI baseball team 6-4 Tuesday evening in non-conference play in Gray-Minor Stadium.

VCU scored a run in the top of the first and the Keydets tied the score in the third after Jed Barrett led off with a triple. Cook later doubled in the inning but was left stranded on base.

The visiting Rams opened a 6-1 lead after notching one run in the sixth, three in the seventh and one in the eighth. Barrett walked to open the bottom of the eighth for VMI and Justin Nase followed with a bunt single. Cook cleared the bases with a longball to left field and cut the lead to 6-4. Trey Morgan doubled with one out but Nolan Wilson worked out of the jam. Wilson struck out the side in the ninth to close out the game.

Cook finished 2-4 while Barrett had a hit and a walk. Cole Garrett tripled and Cole Jenkins also had a hit.

Jack Thompson tossed 2.2 innings of relief, allowing just one hit and no runs with two strikeouts. Traylor Duval closed the game out with two scoreless frames with two strikeouts. Nase threw out a runner at home attempting to score on a flyout in the sixth to keep it a one-run game.

Ben Nippolt was 3-5 for VCU (17-14) with a double, two runs and two RBI. Jack Masloff earned the win on the mound, throwing four innings of one-hit relief with five strikeouts.  

VMI (10-24) hosts The Citadel later in the week in a Southern Conference series. The games are scheduled for Thursday and Friday at 6 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m.