LEXINGTON, Va. – VMI Baseball (2-0) took home a pair of wins in the season-opening doubleheader Friday afternoon against Maryland Eastern Shore at Lamore Field at Gray-Minor Stadium.
The Keydets run-ruled the Hawks in game one, 14-4, before adding another big victory in game two, 11-2. This marks the first win on Opening Day since 2022 when VMI defeated Duke on the road and the first season-opening win at Gray-Minor Stadium since 2008. The Keydets' 14 runs in the first game are the most in a season opener since 2000.
Game 1 Key Stats
- VMI totaled 14 runs off 11 hits and 10 walks.
- Four Keydets had two hits apiece.
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Grayson Fitzwater tallied his first homer of the season in his first at-bat.
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Boston Torres tacked on a pair of doubles with three RBIs, going 2 for three at the plate.
- VMI stole eight bases.
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Cole Raile scored a team-high three runs and drew two walks while going 2 for three at the dish.
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Bradley Garner nabbed three RBIs off a pair of hits.
- Earning the win on the mound was
Jaxon Lloyd after tossing four innings, giving up three hits and one earned run while striking out four.
- Coming in relief was
Roberto Velasquez who went three innings, allowing three hits and no runs as well as punching out two.
- Keydets scored 12 unanswered runs.
- The three, four, and five batters accumulated six hits and seven RBIs.
Game 1 Scoring Summary
- Fitzwater opened the game with an opposite-field homer to make it 1-0 in the first.
- VMI showcased its smart base-running abilities, forcing a pickle between first and second, which allowed Raile to score VMI's second run in the bottom half of the first inning.
- UMES would put up a four spot in the second inning, giving the Hawks a 4-2 advantage through two.
- The Keydets returned the favor in the fourth inning with five runs, starting with back-to-back singles from
Kazuya Jordan and
Owen Prince leading to three straight bases-loaded walks.
- VMI continued the scoring surge in the sixth inning with a double by Torres and a single by Garner, leading to Garner taking home on a throwing miscue.
- The Keydets ended the game with a pair of sacrifice flies and back-to-back RBIs by Torres and Garner.
Game 2 Key Stats
- Keydets plated 11 off nine hits and 10 walks.
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Boston Torres tallied his first homer of the season while going 2 for three with a team-high four RBIs and three runs.
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Owen Prince batted a perfect two for two with three runs.
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Ryan Peterson nabbed VMI's first triple of the year.
- Keydets posted six stolen bases with
Bradley Garner being the source of three steals.
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Caden Plummer had a quality performance in his season debut, allowing just one earned run with six strikeouts in six innings pitched.
Game 2 Scoring Summary
- Torres sent VMI's second home run of the day into the leftfield scoreboard, making it 2-0 in the first inning.
- In the third, Torres singled in a pair of runs to double the Keydets advantage before a pair of sacrifices plated two to make it 6-0 VMI.
- UMES would get on the board in the fourth, but it did not take long before VMI answered with two more runs thanks to a balk and double by Garner.
- The Hawks did some damage in the fifth, tallying one run in the process, but was shut down by Plummer, leading to a 9-2 score after five.
- An
Ayden Schnarrs single and a Peterson triple put VMI in double digits, 11-2.
Next up for the Keydets
The Keydets return to the friendly confines on Saturday morning for a 9 a.m. first pitch against the Hawks. There will be no live stream available.
For more information, visit VMIKeydets.com or follow us on social media at VMI Athletics.
