LEXINGTON, Va. – VMI Baseball heads to Charlottesville for the first road game of the season against ACC foe Virginia on Tuesday at Davenport Field at Disharoon Park.
Game Schedule and Probables
Tuesday, February 17 - 3 p.m.
- RHP John Paone vs. RHP
Clark Driscoll
The Keydets (4-0) look to stay perfect on the year when they visit the Cavaliers (3-0), who are coming off a stellar outing against Wagner. VMI and Virginia are two of the top three scoring offenses in the country based on this season's run totals.
Keys to the Keydets
Run Fast, Turn Left. VMI's identity in the
Sam Roberts era has been speed on the base paths. The Keydets have claimed the NCAA Division I stolen base crown three-straight seasons, including a program-record 209 steals in 2025. This season, VMI has 32 steals.
Experience. Seven of the nine Keydets in last year's lineup return, bringing hefty experience to an already stacked roster.
Eye of the Tiger. The easiest way to get on base for the Keydets has been walks. In four games, VMI has accumulated 29 walks and 20 hit by pitches.
Score Often. VMI posted 67 runs with 54 RBIs in the season-opening series, nearly 17 runs per game, leaving no room for a Hornets' comeback.
What To Watch For
Burning Rubber. Two Keydets are fighting for the program's career stolen base crown.
Kazuya Jordan (84) ranks third, while
Owen Prince (78) ranks fourth in career steals, inching closer to the 100 milestone and the record.
Upset Watch. The last time VMI bested Virginia was in 2018. Last season, the Keydets stormed into Disharoon Park and held the No. 10 Cavaliers to six runs and fell by a mere two runs, making it the closest final score since 2020.
Five in a Row. The Keydets have gone 4-0 to start a season in back-to-back years for the first time in program history. Prior to last season, VMI hadn't won five-straight to start a season since 2010.
Game Notes
Keydets Sweep Hornets. VMI opened the season with four wins, sweeping Delaware State at home.
Runs Galore. The Keydets scored 67 times in four games, the third-most runs scored by any NCAA DI team last weekend (New Mexico, 68; Virginia, 69), and the fifth-most runs per game (16.8).
Swing, Batter, Swing. VMI was a force at the plate, posting 49 hits, 16 doubles, five homers, and 54 RBIs. The Keydets rank second in the country in doubles and fourth with four doubles per game. VMI's .395 batting clip stands 11th in the country.
Watchful Eye. Even without putting bat to ball, the Keydets were productive in their series, walking 29 times (sixth in the nation) and hit by 20 pitches (second in the nation).
Looking For A Four-Peat. As always, the Keydets controlled the base path with 32 stolen bases and eight steals per game, the most by any team in the country. The next closest team is still nine steals behind.
Leading The League. VMI leads the league in all but one offensive category. Individually, at least one Keydet is in the top five in all offensive categories. VMI gave up the second-fewest earned runs (11) across the conference, while having the second-most K/9 split (10.8).
Big Bats. Picking up where he left off,
Bradley Garner went 7-for-14 with a pair of doubles and a team-leading eight RBIs and eight runs. Making a statement was
Ayden Schnarrs, who produced a .583 batting clip with seven hits and six RBIs.
Grayson Fitzwater provided a team-high eight hits, including three doubles.
Dhein Delivers. Sophomore LHP
Peyton Dhein got the call to start on Opening Day, and he earned the nod, going six innings with five strikeouts and no runs allowed for a shutout victory.
Duo Dazzles Out of 'Pen. A pair of notable performances out of the VMI bullpen shined in the box score. Senior LHP
Hunter Sipe tossed a career-high eight strikeouts in four innings of near-perfect work. Freshman LHP
Trace Monroe was called in for work and made the most of it, throwing three scoreless innings with seven strikeouts.
Southpaws Rule. It was the lefties that came out on top for the Keydets' pitching staff. The combined statline for the left-handed pitchers who made at least one out was one earned run and 22 strikeouts in 16 innings.
Grand Salami. Cole Cook took advantage of a bases-loaded situation, making his first collegiate home run a grand slam. Cook ended the series with an insane 1.111 slug and 1.778 OPS.
Taking One For The Team. The Keydets set a new single-game record: most hit-by-pitches in a game with nine.
Freshmen See The Field. Seven freshmen Keydets had at-bats during the Delaware State series, combining for four hits and three RBIs. Five freshmen made their debut on the bump, tossing nine innings with 12 punchouts as a group.
Speedy Kaz. Kazuya Jordan leads the country with seven stolen bases. Last season, Jordan swiped the second-most bags in a single-season behind fellow Keydet
Owen Prince. The speedster has eclipsed 80 career steals and is just 17 away from setting the all-time record.
Weekday Windup. The Keydets were 7-4 during non-conference midweek games in 2025. This season, VMI is slated to play 10 non-series games.
Scouting the Opponent
Overall. Virginia ended last season 32-18, with a 16-11 ACC record. The Cavaliers are 3-0 after sweeping Wagner at home.
Roster. The 2026 roster includes four graduate students, three seniors, 13 juniors, seven sophomores, and 14 freshmen. Virginia has 14 transfers. With the addition of Pollard as head coach, the Cavaliers' lineup adds four Duke transfers.
Offense. In three games, the Cavaliers slashed .388/.595/.561, scoring an NCAA DI-leading 69 runs, with 52 RBIs. Noah Murray leads the team with nine runs, while Eric Becker boasts a team-high seven hits and six RBIs.
Defense. The Cavaliers hold a .960 fielding clip after committing four errors against Wagner. Virginia turned four double plays.
Pitching. As a team, the Cavaliers posted a 5.67 ERA during opening weekend, allowing 17 earned runs, while striking out 41. Max Stammel was nails in his season debut, tossing three scoreless innings and allowing just one hit with five strikeouts.
The Probable. Virginia will give freshman John Paone the nod for Tuesday. Paone, the No. 1 RHP and player out of high school in Massachusetts, will make his first collegiate appearance.
Coach Chris Pollard. Chris Pollard begins year one at the helm for Cavaliers Baseball after replacing Brian O'Connor, who moved on to Mississippi State. Pollard arrives in Charlottesville after spending the last 13 seasons at Duke, leading the Blue Devils to a 420-296 record, seven NCAA tournament berths, four Super Regional appearances, and two ACC Baseball Tournament championships. His 420 wins are the most by a head coach in Duke baseball history. He was previously a head coach at Appalachian State (2005-12) and Pfeiffer (2000-04).
Series History
VMI and Virginia face off for the 75th time. The Keydets are 19-65 against the Cavaliers dating back to 1951. Six of VMI's 19 wins have been in Charlottesville, with the last being in 2018. Virginia has won the last eight matchups.
For more information, visit VMIKeydets.com or follow us on social media at VMI Athletics.
