VMI Baseball will begin its Southern Conference schedule against East Tennessee State University (ETSU) in a three-game series starting March 27 at Thomas Stadium in Johnson City, Tennessee. The Keydets, currently holding a 20-4 record, are set to face the reigning conference champions for their first league games of the season.
This series marks the tenth consecutive year that VMI has started its conference play on the road. Due to forecasted heavy rain, Friday’s game will start earlier than planned, with first pitch scheduled for 11 a.m. The Keydets will send left-handed pitcher Tadan Bell to the mound for Game 1, followed by right-handers Michael Harpster and Cooper Jones in subsequent games.
Under Head Coach Sam Roberts, VMI has developed a reputation for aggressive base running and leads NCAA Division I with nearly five stolen bases per game this season. The team has also hit at least one home run in 11 of its last 13 games and boasts an on-base percentage of .458, ranking among the top ten nationally. Notable individual performances include Owen Prince nearing VMI’s career stolen base record and Grayson Fitzwater approaching significant milestones in runs batted in (RBIs), doubles, and home runs.
Roberts recently achieved his 100th career victory as head coach—the fastest coach to reach this milestone in program history—and led VMI to its fourth straight season with at least twenty wins. Several players have received national recognition: Fitzwater is ranked seventh among all Division I first basemen by Mid-Major D1 Baseball; Cole Raile is ranked fifth among mid-major catchers; Hunter Sipe holds one of the lowest earned run averages nationally; and multiple Keydets rank highly in categories such as walks drawn and hit-by-pitches.
The opposing ETSU Buccaneers enter the series with a 17-6 overall record after winning their last three games. Their roster features strong offensive numbers including a .318 batting average and standout performances from Tristan Curless who ranks among national leaders in home runs and RBIs. ETSU’s head coach Joe Pennucci was named SoCon Coach of the Year after leading his team to both regular season and tournament titles last year.
Historically, VMI trails ETSU with an all-time record of 47-70 but aims for its first win over ETSU since March 2021.
