LEXINGTON, Va. – VMI Baseball welcomes Western Illinois to Lamore Field at Gray-Minor Stadium for a four-game series starting Friday.
 
Series Schedule and Probables
Game 1 | Friday, March 6 - 1 p.m.
- RHP Jackson Rogers vs. LHP Peyton Dhein
Game 2 | Friday, March 7 - 4 p.m. (7 innings)
- LHP Jason Buhl vs. LHP Trace Monroe
Game 3 | Saturday, March 7 - 1 p.m.
- TBA vs. RHP Roberto Velasquez
Game 4 | Sunday, March 8 - 11 a.m.
- TBA vs. TBA
 
 
The Keydets (10-2) have been on a roll, winning 10 of their 11 home games thus far, and will now face Western Illinois (4-7), who is coming off a big midweek victory. With anticipated thunderstorms reaching the Southwest Virginia area Saturday afternoon, Friday will now be a doubleheader, with Saturday and Sunday being single games. Game two of Friday's doubleheader will be a scheduled seven-inning contest.
 
 
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 76 steals, with over six steals per game, ranking first nationally in both categories.
 
Runs Galore. VMI has found every way to score its 126 runs this season, scoring over 10 runs per contest. Both statistics rank in the top 20 nationally. The Keydets have also posted five run-rule victories, outscoring opponents 85-15 in those five games.
 
The Stable. VMI's pitching staff has been consistent all season, totaling an impressive 3.84 ERA, the third lowest in the conference, with three shutouts. The Keydets' three shutouts are the third most in the nation.

What To Watch For
Sipe's Streak. Hot-handed Hunter Sipe is one of two SoCon pitchers and one of 19 NCAA Division I pitchers to allow zero runs. Among the two league throwers, Sipe has the most innings pitched (15.0) and the lowest BB/9 ratio (0.6).
 
Fitz Bomb. Grayson Fitzwater is inching closer to the all-time home runs record, just four bombs shy.
 
The Quest To 100. Head Coach Sam Roberts has accumulated 90 wins at the helm, nearing the 100-win milestone. Roberts' 50th win in 2024 made him the fastest head coach to reach 50 wins in program history, and after securing win number 90 against Stonehill, he became the fastest coach to reach that mark. At this pace, Roberts would become the fastest coach to reach 100 wins.
 
Game Notes
Keydets Win 10th Home Game. VMI took three of four games against Stonehill to capture its 10th home victory of the season.
 
Shutout City. The Keydets recorded a pair of shutouts over the Skyhawks. VMI has already surpassed last year's shutout total.
 
Berto's World. Roberto Velasquez shoved 7.1 shutout innings in the win over Stonehill. In three appearances, Velasquez has tossed 11 strikeouts with no walks, just one of 15 D-I players to have that margin.
 
Fitzwater Moves To No. 2. With his home run against Stonehill, Grayson Fitzwater has sole possession of second with 43 career home runs, surpassing the new-age legend, Justin Starke.
 
Totally B-Rad. Bradley Garner has a league-leading 18 RBIs and is top 50 in the country.
 
Sipe Hunting. Hunter Sipe has been on a roll coming out of the bullpen, allowing no runs in 15 innings. Sipe ranks 14th with a 0.53 WHIP, 26th with a 0.60 BB/9 ratio, and 27th with a 14.00 K/9 margin. The relief lefty allows just north of four hits per nine innings.
 
Prince of Pain. The dual threat of Owen Prince will be talked about for ages. At the dish, Prince has produced a league-leading 13 walks and has been one of the toughest players to strikeout in the conference. On the basepath, Prince has swiped 12 bases, the fourth most in the nation, and has scored 17 times, the second most in the SoCon. In the field, Prince stepped up in multiple ways, starting in centerfield on one day, then filling in as catcher the next. Prince has had 30 putouts with no errors in the field.
 
The Chef. Sophomore breakout player Cole Cook leads the conference in slugging (.886), over .100 more than the second guy, and in most home runs (5). Cook stands third with 16 RBIs and 11 stolen bases, and fourth with 11 walks.
 
Super Streaky. Owen Prince has a team-high in both on-base and hitting streaks. Prince has earned a hit in his last five outings, while reaching base safely in all 12 games this year.
 
Hurts So Good. VMI has been hit by 41 pitches, the third most in the country and just three behind the nation's leader. Last season, the Keydets ended the year with 109 hit by pitches, the second most in program history. Cole Raile leads the team in hit by pitches with six, which is top 50 nationally.
 
Swing, Batter, Swing. VMI has been a force at the plate, posting 107 hits and 26 doubles, along with 13 homers and 107 RBIs. VMI's .302 batting clip stands in the top 50 nationally.
 
Walk It Out. Even without putting bat to ball, the Keydets have been productive, walking 76 times (30th in the nation). As a result, VMI's on-base percentage is a cool .471 (ninth in the nation).
 
Looking For A Four-Peat. As always, the Keydets have controlled the base path, going 76-for-79 on stolen bases, with over six steals per game, the most by any team in the country. The next closest team is two stolen bases behind, but has played three more games.
 
Leading The League. VMI leads the league with 107 RBIs, 126 runs, 76 stolen bases, and 76 walks. On the mound, the Keydets have conference-leading marks with three saves and three shutouts.
 
Magic No. 4. VMI has allowed four or fewer runs in its 10 wins.
 
Southpaws Rule. Some top-tier lefties have prevailed for the Keydets, including Hunter Sipe, Peyton Dhein, Trace Monroe, and Buddy Baker. Those four combined have totaled a 1.43 ERA in 50.2 innings, earning 53 strikeouts and just 14 walks, with a 6-0 record.
 
Where's Perry? If you're looking for Max Perry, he is probably already at second base as the speedy shortstop ranks fourth nationally with 12 stolen bases and averages one steal per game.
 
Scouting the Opponent
Overall. Western Illinois is 4-7 overall after taking two of three from Akron and tallying midweek victories over St. Ambrose and Saint Louis.
 
Roster. The 2026 roster includes one graduate student, three fifth years, 15 seniors, nine juniors, five sophomores, and one freshman.
 
Offense. The Leathernecks slash .265/.393/.380, boasting 16 doubles, two triples, and nine homers to pair with 62 RBIs and 67 runs. WIU ranks 45th nationally with seven sacrifice flies.
 
Defense. WIU's defense holds a .977 fielding clip with nine errors.
 
Pitching. As a team, the Leathernecks' ERA is just south of seven, allowing 72 earned runs with 62 walks and 98 strikeouts. Prepare to see Jackson Rogers, who has made four appearances, tossed 12.2 innings, with a 3.55 ERA and a team-high 17 punchouts. Cade Sonoqui has a team-low ERA of 2.08 in 4.1 innings of work.
 
The Probables. WIU will look at Jackson Rogers and Jason Buhl as schedule starters. The Leathernecks' game three and four starters are to be determined.
 
Coach Terry Davis. Head Coach Terry Davis enters his third season at the helm after spending three years at Washington State as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. Prior stops included New Mexico State and Bellarmine. As a player, Davis led Spalding to a 2002 NAIA World Series and the program's first-ever 50-win season.
 
Series History
This will be the first meeting between the two programs.
 
For more information, visit VMIKeydets.com or follow us on social media at VMI Athletics.