Box Score

LEXINGTON, Va. - Trailing 2-1 in the sixth inning, VMI pushed across a pair of runs with two outs and added an insurance tally in the eighth to hand Lafayette a 4-2 setback on Saturday.

The Leopards (0-2) had a 9-7 edge in hits, but twice came up empty in bases loaded situations. The Keydets (4-3) won the weekend series despite committing three errors this afternoon compared to none for the Maroon and White.

Dan Leckie, Steven Cohen, John Selsor and Andrew Landolfi each finished with two hits in the loss.

Starter Mitch Leeds worked a 1-2-3 first inning, and he fanned the final two batters of the second after surrendering a one-out double.

For the second time this series, Lafayette loaded the bases with nobody out in the third inning, as Selsor and Michael Coniglio singled while Landolfi reached on an error as he attempted to sacrifice. For the second-straight day, though, the Leopards went away empty-handed. VMI forced a 6-4-2 double play to force the runners at second and home, and then got a groundout to short to end the frame.

The Keydets tacked on their first run in the bottom of the inning. Number nine hitter Nathan Eaton drew a one-out walk, and he crossed the plate on a double from David Geary with two men down. VMI then loaded the bases in the fourth, but Leeds escaped unscathed after getting leadoff hitter Jacob Jaye to hit into a fielder's choice.

The bottom of the Maroon and White lineup ignited a two-run rally in the fifth, with Selsor and Landolfi singling to start the frame. That brought up Coniglio with runners on the corners, and he brought home the first run with an RBI groundout to third. Leckie then doubled home Landolfi to give Lafayette its first lead of the contest.

Leeds worked around trouble for a second-straight inning in the bottom of the fifth. Collin Fleischer picked up a one-out single, and he advanced to third on a pair of wild pitches. Leeds, however, struck out clean-up hitter Tyler Tharp and got Matt Pita to lineout to second to maintain the Leopards' one-run advantage.

The Keydets went ahead on a two-out rally in the sixth. Eaton ended Leeds' day with an RBI triple to left-center, and he scored on a balk from new pitcher Trevor Houck. Leeds finished the contest with eight strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings. He allowed three earned runs on five hits and three walks.

Lafayette's second bases loaded situation came in the top of the seventh. Leckie and Cohen doubled to put runners on second and third, and pinch hitter Richard Vila worked a walk. A strikeout and a groundout, however, ended the threat.

The Leopards would not have another runner in scoring position the rest of the way. Peyton Maddox scored VMI's fourth run on a solo homer with two outs in the eighth, and Jack Gomersall worked around a leadoff walk in the ninth, striking out the side to pick up the save.

Lafayette will now look to avoid a sweep, as the series wraps up with a 1 p.m. tilt on Sunday afternoon.