The VMI baseball team played 18th-ranked Old Dominion University tough on Tuesday, but the Monarchs scored three runs late to pull away for a 6-2 victory over the visiting Keydets.
ODU scored two runs in the bottom of the third, but VMI tied the game after single runs in the fourth and fifth. The Keydets loaded the bases in the fourth and brought one run home after an error, but a lineout prevented a bigger inning. Redshirt junior Will Knight doubled home Justin Starke in the fifth to tie the game.
The Monarchs scored one run in the fifth to retake the lead and added insurance with one in the seventh and two in the eighth. ODU scored four runs on sacrifice flies on the day.
Knight finished 3-for-4, as did catcher Cole Garrett. Ryan Peterson doubled and Starke, Zac Morris and Ty Swaim also had hits.
The VMI pitching staff held the powerful Monarch offense to a full four runs below their season average (10.4). Caden Plummer started the game and threw four solid innings, and six other pitchers combined to keep the ODU offense in check and VMI within striking distance. Coming into the game, the Monarchs were ranked in the top 10 in NCAA Division I in several offensive categories, including scoring, batting average, home runs and slugging percentage.
Tommy Bell, Kenny Levari and Robbie Petracci each had two hits for ODU (17-2). The Monarchs have won 14 of their last 15 games.
VMI (8-11) heads to Washington, D.C., this weekend for a three-game series at Georgetown University.
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