A crucial stretch for the Keydets
The VMI Keydets will host The Citadel for a three‑game series at Gray‑Minor Stadium to finish the regular season, a matchup that could determine conference seeding for the Southern Conference Championship Tournament.
VMI enters the series riding a wave of offensive firepower. The team leads the nation in stolen bases with 179 attempts, second in the SoCon with a 273‑walk total, and boasts a perfect record whenever it scores seven or more runs. Those strengths have helped the Keydets climb to second place in the conference and 33rd nationally.
Key contributors include senior Grayson Fitzwater, who is closing in on a career milestone of 200 RBIs and 200 runs scored, and who recently set a single‑season home run record with his 19th blast. Cole Raile has extended his hitting streak to a career‑best 13 games and sits among the conference leaders with 15 homers and a .357 average. Owen Prince paces the lineup on the bases with a league‑high 28 steals.
The Citadel’s late‑season surge
The Citadel, meanwhile, has won six of its last eight outings and nine of its past 12, positioning itself for a favorable seed in the upcoming conference tournament. The team also tops the nation in stolen bases with 123 attempts, underscoring a shared emphasis on aggressive base running.
Pitching depth adds another layer of intrigue. Reliever Clark Driscoll has logged nine strikeouts in just eight innings across his last three appearances, while veteran Hunter Sipe has compiled 59 strikeouts in 71 innings this season. Ayden Schnarrs recently set a single‑season record with 26 hit‑by‑pitches, highlighting the team’s ability to draw walks and disrupt opposing pitchers.
If VMI can maintain its offensive output and capitalize on its baserunning advantages, the series could mark the program’s first 30‑win season in 16 years and solidify its standing heading into the NCAA tournament picture. The stakes are high, and both coaching staffs are expected to deploy their full arsenals in what promises to be a tightly contested showdown.