LEXINGTON, Va. – The Wofford College baseball team was defeated 12-4 by VMI on Friday night in the opening game of a weekend series at Gray-Minor Stadium. The Keydets had three home runs in the first four innings to build a 9-2 lead and kept the Terriers from gaining any momentum in the contest.  
 
Wofford is now 31-20 on the season and 11-8 in the Southern Conference. VMI is 25-21 overall and 11-8 in the league, with the teams tied for third place. The Terriers had eleven hits in the game, led by Brett Rodriguez and Colin Davis with three hits each. Peyton Maddox led the Keydets with three hits and three RBIs as the team had 14 hits.
 
Mack Nathanson reached first base in the top of the first on an error, but was caught stealing second base. The Keydets had a single and hit by pitch to begin the bottom half of the first. An RBI single made it a 1-0 game before two runners were stranded at the end of the inning. Lawson Hill singled with one out in the top of the second inning and scored when Colin Davis hit his ninth home run of the year to take a 2-1 lead.
 
With two outs in the bottom of the second, the Keydets had runners in scoring position after a single and double before a foul out ended the inning. Brett Rodriguez led off the third frame with a single, but two strikeouts and an interference call ended the top half. VMI had a single and a walk to start the bottom of the third and an RBI double tied the game at 2-2. A single drove in a run for a 3-2 lead and put runners on the corners. Jacob Jaye hit a 3-run homer to right field to give VMI a 6-2 advantage.
 
In the top of the fourth inning, Colin Davis had a single up the middle with two outs. The Keydets added a pair of runs on a homer by Peyton Maddox for an 8-2 lead in the bottom of the fourth. A solo home run by Jake Huggins with two outs made it a 9-2 game before a strikeout ended the fourth inning. Alex Malsch singled with one out in the top of the fifth and a hit-and-run by Brett Rodriguez put runners on the corners. A fielder's choice by Mack Nathanson plated a run for a 9-3 score, but two runners were left on base. The Keydets loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the fifth after a pair of walks and a hit by pitch. A strikeout ended the inning with three runners stranded.
 
After Wofford was retired in order in the top of the sixth inning, a solo home run led off the bottom half for the Keydets as they took a 10-3 lead. Alec Cargin led off the seventh by being hit by a pitch. Brett Rodriguez singled with one out, but both runners were left in scoring position at the seventh inning stretch. The Keydets had a pair of runners reach on hit by pitch in the bottom of the seventh and an RBI single pushed the lead to 11-3.
 
Wofford opened the eighth inning with a single up the middle by Andrew Orzel and he moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. After a single by Colin Davis put runners on the corners, a sacrifice fly by Max McDougald scored Orzel for an 11-4 game. The Keydets added a run on an RBI double with two outs in the bottom of the eighth to make it 12-4. In the top of the ninth, Wofford left one runner on base when Mack Nathanson was hit by a pitch.
 
Adam Scott (7-5) started for the Terriers and threw four innings with nine runs allowed on eleven hits. He struck out five batters and walked one. Scottie Wallace went two-thirds of an inning and did not allow a hit. David Ehmen went 2.1 innings, his longest outing since 2015, and allowed two runs on two hits with a pair of strikeouts. Jake Dippold worked an inning with one run allowed on one hit, along with two strikeouts.
 
VMI starter Josh Winder (5-4) threw 7.1 innings with four runs allowed on eleven hits, along with four strikeouts. Corey Johnston went the final 1.2 innings and did not allow a hit while striking out two batters.
 
The series will continue on Saturday at 4:00 p.m. and conclude on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. After a few days off for exams, the Terriers will host ETSI for a three-game series beginning on Thursday at 6:00 p.m.