LEXINGTON, Va. – The Lafayette College baseball team dropped the first game of a three-game series against Virginia Military Institute, 8-1, on Friday. 
 
Lafayette was led by senior Dylan Minghini who went 1 for 3 with a double. Freshman Michael Zarrillo, junior Pete Ciuffreda and junior Kyle Chmielewski also each recorded a hit in the game.
 
In his second start of the season, sophomore pitcher Luke Benneche went 4.1 innings, recording seven strikeouts. Freshman Jack McMullen made his collegiate debut, coming in for an inning of relief, striking out the first batter he faced.  
 
Lafayette (0-5, 0-0 PL) was the first to strike in the top of the fourth. Freshman Michael Zarrillo started off the inning for the Leopards with a single to left field. He then was out at second on a fielder's choice putting senior Dylan Minghini at first with one out.
 
Junior Pete Ciuffreda than singled to right field to advance Minghini and put runners on first and second with one out. Minghini advanced to third on a fielder's choice that also put freshman Carter Dorighi on first. Junior Seif Ingram reached first on a throwing error by the Keydet's third baseman to advance both Leopards runners, bringing Minghini home to put Lafayette up 1-0.
 
VMI (2-3, 0-0 SoCon) responded with a three-run home run in the bottom of the fourth to take a 3-1 lead. The Keydets then added two more runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a 5-1 lead.
 
Lafayette threatened to cut into VMI's lead in the top of the sixth. With Minghini on second and Ciuffreda on first, Dorighi hit into a fielder's choice, putting Ciuffreda out at second and advancing Minghini to third. Ingram was up next for the Leopards with runners on the corners but was called out on batter's interference to end the inning.
 
The Keydets added three more runs in the top of the seventh to put the score at 8-1, and held Lafayette scoreless through the next two innings to earn the series opening victory.  
 
The Keydets were led by sophomore Brett Cook who went 3 for 4 with four RBIs, one double and one home run. Starting pitcher redshirt sophomore Tyler Bradt threw seven innings and recorded six strikeouts.
 
The Lafayette Nine returns to the field Saturday for game two of the three-game series. First pitch is slated for 2 p.m. The Leopards and Keydets will close out the series on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m.