The VMI Keydets tied school records for home runs and triples in a game and fell just one shy of single-game RBI and hit records, en route to a 23-2 victory over the Maryland-Eastern Shore Hawks Friday afternoon at Gray-Minor Stadium in Lexington, Va.
Friday’s game was never in doubt, as VMI scored four runs in the first inning – including a leadoff home run by Nathan Eaton – and never looked back. Eaton went deep twice on the day and was joined in the long ball column by Matt Dunlevy, Michael Sims, Matt Pita and a pair from Peyton Maddox.
Eaton and Sims’ homers were the first of their careers, while Pita’s set him up with two at-bats for his second cycle in less than a week. The freshman needed just a single when he hit in both the seventh and eighth innings, but was hit by a pitch both times. He would have become only the third player in NCAA baseball history to hit for the cycle twice in the same season.
As it was, the Keydets hit seven home runs on the day, tying the previous school record set in April of 2009 against Gardner-Webb, and fell just one shy of the 25-hit VMI record also set that day nearly seven years ago. Although it was not a school record for runs scored, it was the highest run total for VMI baseball since March 18, 2005, when the Keydets also scored 23 times against UNC Asheville.
Eaton and Maddox led the VMI 24-hit attack with four hits apiece. Eaton drove in four runs and Maddox plated five, while both scored three runs. Pita went 3 for 4 and reached base five times in the rout.
Jessey Valdez and Connor Breslin had two hits apiece for UMES (4-9), including one home run for each.
The Keydets (8-7) sprinted out to an 11-2 lead after four innings. Home runs from Maddox, Pita and Eaton fueled the early surge and the VMI lead only grew from there. Pita had a double, triple and home run in his first three at-bats, and with VMI firmly in command, came up to lead off the seventh. He was hit by a 3-2 pitch, however.
The same result occurred when Pita battled in the eighth, as he was hit by an 0-1 offering to spoil his final chance at history. Dunlevy and Eaton also had at-bats with a cycle on the line, but could not complete the rare feat.
Sims followed the second Pita HBP with a grand slam to left-center. It was not only his first career home run, but it served as the first career hit for the redshirt sophomore who made the team for the first time this spring. Will Malbon singled home a run later in the eighth to cap the scoring.
On the mound, Matthew Eagle picked up the victory and moved to 4-0 on the year. Eagle gave up two runs on eight hits over seven innings, striking out six. Toby Hoskins (0-2) was tagged for eight runs and nine hits in two frames and took the loss for UMES.
VMI baseball will return to action Saturday, when the Keydets and UMES resume their series at 2 p.m.
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