ASHEVILLE, N.C. – VMI Baseball (10-10) makes a strong return to the win column after taking care of the University of North Carolina Asheville (10-8) by a whopping score of 17-4 Saturday afternoon at Greenwood Field.
The Keydets' offense exploded with a season-high 17 runs and 16 hits in the win over the Bulldogs. VMI went yard three times, all before the fifth inning, including a first-inning grand slam. This marks the first win over UNC Asheville since May 2011.
Key Stats
- VMI records its largest margin of victory and most runs scored in a game since April 2023
- 10 of the Keydets' 17 runs came from the long ball
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Ty Swaim went a perfect 5-for-5 at the plate and was one hit shy of breaking the single-game hit record held by head coach
Sam Roberts
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Ryan Peterson recorded four RBI off his first-inning grand slam
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Will Riley tossed a gem, going 6.2 innings with nine strikeouts to pick up his third win on the bump
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Jack Thompson came in relief to stop the Bulldogs, allowing just one hit and one run while striking down four
- Eight of the nine VMI starters recorded at least one hit
- Keydets swiped seven bases and drew five walks
- VMI's stable allowed just six hits, the second fewest allowed this season
Breaking Down the Box Score
- VMI came out swinging early, posting six first-inning runs thanks to a
Brett Cook single and a grand slam from
Ryan Peterson
- All runs in the first inning were scored with two outs
- After a hit by pitch and an UNC Asheville fielding error,
Grayson Fitzwater continued his hot streak at the dish with a three-run bomb to right field in the second
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Will Riley allowed just two hits through the first three innings
- In the fourth inning, Keydets continued rounding the diamond after
Cole Raile hit a pinch-hit three-run homer to left to put VMI up by 12
- Later in the inning,
Kazuya Jordan was able to steal home to add more insurance
- With two outs in the fifth,
Owen Prince nabbed an RBI after singling up the middle
- UNC Asheville answered a pair of runs after a strong home run to make it 14-2
- Both sides exchanged blows in the seventh inning with VMI scoring off a
Ty Swaim double and the Bulldogs smashing a two-run home run
- Ninth inning found more offense for the Keydets with
Owen Prince and
Addison Clark earning back-to-back RBI
