LEXINGTON, Va. – The VMI Baseball Team hosted NJIT for a scheduled doubleheader on Saturday, taking game one 10-8 and holding on for an 8-7 victory in game two.
Marcus Van Alstine continued to show his mettle as the closer, picking up saves in both games.
Will Riley went 7.0 innings and struck out nine batters (2 earned runs) in game one to pick up the win, while
Caden Plummer's 2.2 innings pitched put him in line for the game-two win.
The Keydets now improve to an even 6-6 record, marking the first time this season they are at the .500 mark. NJIT drops to 1-8 thus far in 2024. The two sides will close out the series on Sunday, with first pitch scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
Key Stats
- Riley,
Nathan Hawley each strike out nine in their respective starts
- Van Alstine records pair of saves, Plummer strikes out four in relief win
- Each team commits four errors on the day, VMI outhits NJIT 24-19
-
Cole Garrett records five hits, four RBI while handling his standard behind-the-plate duties
-
Grayson Fitzwater, Garrett,
Brett Cook all homer in 8-7 win; Cook gets three hits, three RBI in two starts
Game 1 – Win, 10-8
- The Keydets worked a run across the plate in the 1
st, but a two-out error-aided rally in the third saw VMI jump in front 5-0
- NJIT cut the deficit in half in the 4
th as VMI would strand a runner at third in the bottom half of the inning, going down 1-2-3 in the 5
th
- After manufacturing a run in the 6
th, VMI added another with the help of a Highlander error to take a 6-2 advantage, repeating the output in the 7
th (8-2)
- NJIT showed fight, scoring three in the 8
th and 9
th to put VMI on its heels but Van Alstine closed the door
Game 2 – Win, 8-7
- It was the Highlanders who struck first with a solo shot in the second inning of game two (1-0)
- After
Justin Starke sent TySwaim across the plate, a Fitzwater two-run shot made it 4-1 VMI through three
- The Keydets kept their foot on the gas, manufacturing a pair of runs in the 5
th and adding what would prove to be the game-winning run in the 7
th as Garrett smashed a homer to left
- NJIT cut the lead to just one in the 9
th with a solo home run and would load the bases, but Van Alstine fanned the last batter to seal the win
