A ninth-inning rally by the VMI baseball team fell short as James Madison University defeated the Keydets 9-5 Thursday at Veterans Memorial Park in non-conference action.
Trailing 9-3 heading into the ninth inning, the Keydets loaded the bases with no outs and Zac Morris singled to bring home JT Inskeep and cut the lead to 9-4. JMU went to the bullpen and reliever Lliam Grubbs induced a double play ball, although one Keydet scored on the play. A VMI lineout ended the game.
After JMU opened the game with a run in the bottom of the first, Trey Morgan singled in Cole Jenkins in the top of the second to tie the game at one. JMU scored twice in the bottom of the second.
VMI scored two runs to tie the game at three in the fifth. Reeves Whitmore led off with a single and moved to second with one out after a Cody Warner single. Will Knight drive in Whitmore with a hit and Warner later scored on a Callen Nuccio sacrifice fly. The Dukes brought three runs home in the sixth, one in the seventh and two in the eighth to go ahead 9-3.
Warner and Morgan each had two hits and Jenkins walked twice. Whitmore finished 1-1 with two walks.
Chase DeLauter went 3-4 with a double, a home run and four RBI for JMU (2-5).
VMI (2-7) will host JMU Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. in Gray-Minor Stadium.