LEXINGTON, Va. - The VMI baseball team split a Southern Conference doubleheader Sunday with visiting East Tennessee State University (ETSU), taking the first contest 7-6 but dropping the second 9-6. The teams' eight seniors were honored prior to the first pitch of the opener in Gray-Minor Stadium.
VMI junior backstop
Cole Garrett drilled a home run in each game and finished with five RBI. The Keydets finished the home portion of their 2023 schedule with a 20-13 record.
Game 1:
How it happened:
The Keydets took a 6-0 lead after plating two in the second and four in the fourth. An insurance run in the sixth proved invaluable after the Bucs rallied for sixth in the top of the eighth, but VMI hung on for the 7-6 win. Keydet pitching left 16 ETSU runners stranded on base.
Highlights:
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Trey Morgan started on the mound and threw 5 2/3 innings of shutout ball to earn the win, striking out a season-high seven
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Will Riley recorded five outs, four via strikeout, to earn his sixth save. He allowed just one hit and one walk
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Zac Morris was 2-2 with a home run, two RBI and three stolen bases
*Garrett was 2-4 with a homer, a double, two runs and two RBI
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Ty Swaim had two hits and two stolen bases
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Justin Starke had a hit and three walks
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Brett Cook and
Grayson Fitzwater each had a hit and a walk
*Cameron Sisneros was 2-5 with a double, a home run and four RBI for ETSU
Game 2:
How it happened:
VMI trailed just 4-3 after six, but the Buccaneers took control with a five-run seventh inning. A three-run long ball from Garrett in the bottom half of the inning cut the lead to 9-6, but the Keydets could get no closer.
Highlights:
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Cole Jenkins went 3-5 with two doubles and two RBI
*Morris was 2-3 with a walk and a double and
Jimmy Koza also had two hits
*Cook and Starke each had a hit and a walk
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Derrell Fletcher-Knight kept VMI in the game with 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief, striking out two with one hit and one walk
*Sisneros was 2-4 in the nightcap with a home run for ETSU (23-26/8-10 SoCon)
Next Up:
VMI (25-26/9-11 SoCon) travels to UMBC this Thursday and Friday for a non-conference series.
