Box Score

LEXINGTON, Virginia -- With ruthless efficiency, the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) Keydets registered hit after hit, scoring run after run, overwhelming the Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks in a 23-2 decision in Gray-Minor Stadium Friday afternoon. The loss drops the Hawks to 4-9 on the season.

Both of the Hawks' runs came from the long ball, and each served as a first for the respective hitter. Senior Connor Breslin (Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania) hit his first collegiate homerun with a smash to left in the third, and sophomore Jessey Valdez (Dorchester, Massachusetts) hit his first deep shot in his Hawk career with a center field bomb the following inning.

VMI's march to the victory started with their first batter, who homered off the Hawks' sophomore starter Toby Hoskins (North East, Maryland). The Keydets would push across three more runs in the first, then scoring a pair of runs in both the second and third innings.

The Hawks were able to keep the Keydets off the board in the bottom of the fifth, when freshman Xavier Czepiel (Southhampton, New Jersey) only conceded a leadoff single.

Despite the loss, head coach John O'Neil remains optimistic while understanding the level of competition his team faces. "We had another tough game against a very good VMI team. Even though losing this big can be discouraging, we are staying positive because we know we are better than we have been lately. We will overcome our recent struggles."

The first chance to overcome these struggles will come against these same Keydets tomorrow, with a 2:00p.m. start at Gray-Minor Stadium. Sophomore Scott Bean (Harveys Lake, Pennsylvania) is scheduled to be on the bump.