BALTIMORE, Md. – Freshman right-hander Andrew Jones threw a complete-game one-hit shutout Friday as the VMI baseball team split a doubleheader at The University of Maryland, Baltimore County on Alumni Field to close out the 2023 regular season. Both contests were seven-inning games.

The Keydets fell 7-4 in the opener before Jones took the mound for the nightcap in an 8-0 victory. He needed just 97 pitches to shutdown the Retriever offense, allowing just a two-out double in the bottom of the fifth to break up the no-hitter. Jones struck out seven and gave up only two walks.

Game 1:
UMBC scored four runs in the first and held the 4-0 lead until VMI countered with three in the third. Zac Morris laid down a safety squeeze bunt in the fifth to tie the game 4-4, but the Retrievers plated one in the fifth and two in the sixth for the win.

Highlights:
*Grayson Fitzwater was 2-3 with two doubles and two runs scored
*Leadoff-man Justin Starke was 2-4 with a run, an RBI and a stolen base
*Trey Morgan had two hits and Morris finished with two RBI
*Tony Krueger was 3-4 with a double and two RBI for UMBC

Game 2:
VMI gave Jones all the run support he would need and then some with five runs in the top of the first inning. The Keydet offense scored twice in the second and once in the third to close out the scoring.

Highlights:
*Starke had three hits, including a double, and scored twice
*Cole Garrett was 2-3 with a walk, a double and two runs
*Cook also had two hits in the nightcap and Jimmy Koza singled and walked
*Ty Swaim and Cole Jenkins had doubles
*Anthony Swenda had the double for UMBC (29-25)

Next Time:
VMI (26-28) will compete next week in the 2023 Southern Conference Tournament with complete seedings and game times to be announced later this weekend.