VMI Baseball lost to Western Carolina on April 18 in the second game of their series at Lamore Field at Gray-Minor Stadium.
The defeat matters as it ties the series and affects VMI’s record in the Southern Conference, where they now stand at 3-8. The Catamounts improved their conference record to 7-4 after winning with a final score of 18-5 by run rule.
VMI managed five runs from seven hits during the game. Cole Raile led offensively for VMI, going three-for-four with two runs batted in and a home run. Owen Prince reached a milestone by stealing his 100th career base. The game’s scoring saw VMI briefly take an early lead before Western Carolina responded strongly, adding multiple runs each inning to build an insurmountable advantage.
In the first inning, Western Carolina scored first but VMI answered with two runs from Raile and Seth Buchanan. The Catamounts pulled ahead in the following innings, including a four-run fourth inning that extended their lead significantly. In the sixth inning, Raile hit a solo home run and Cole Cook stole home for VMI’s final scores before Western Carolina closed out the win under the mercy rule in the seventh.
The Keydets will play again on Sunday in the rubber match of this weekend’s series, with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m.
