LEXINGTON, Va. – VMI Baseball went full throttle against Western Illinois in a mercy rule victory at Lamore Field at Gray-Minor Stadium Saturday afternoon.
The Keydets (13-2) capture their fourth-straight victory after toppling the Leathernecks, 16-6, in eight innings. Despite being outhit by WIU, VMI capitalized on the basepath, earning 15 RBIs and leaving just a handful of runners stranded.
Key Stats
- VMI scored 16 runs off just eight hits.
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Cole Cook went three-for-three with five RBIs and a grand slam.
- The Keydets swiped seven bags, led by
Owen Prince and Cook, who tallied two apiece.
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Eli Tyndall gets his first collegiate win after tossing 4.2 innings in relief and allowing just one run.
- VMI had a season-high 14 assists in the field and three double plays.
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Seth Buchanan and
Thomas Conrad dished out three RBIs each.
- Prince had a game-high three runs scored.
Scoring Summary
- A
Grayson Fitzwater RBI single got things started in the first inning, followed by a Buchanan bases-clearing double to put VMI up, 4-0, early.
- WIU got one back in the second inning.
- After Prince singled in one and
Cole Raile drove in another on a fielder's choice, Cook would steal home on a double-steal at the corners to give VMI a 7-1 advantage through two innings.
- The Leathernecks would creep back into the game by tallying five runs between the third and sixth innings.
- VMI would go pedal to the metal from this moment, scoring nine unanswered runs in the final three innings. Cook's RBI double in the sixth kicked off the surge, then it was Prince's bases-loaded walk that extended the lead to three. Cook returned to the plate and delivered his sixth home run of the year, a grand slam that doubled the lead, 13-6.
- In the eighth inning, Conrad stepped up and barreled a full-count pitch to the left-center field wall to clear the bases and force the run rule into play.
Next up for the Keydets
The Keydets finish the series on Sunday with an early 11 a.m. first pitch. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
For more information, visit VMIKeydets.com or follow us on social media at VMI Athletics.
