Game 1 Box
Game 2 Box

CHARLESTON, S.C. - VMI pounded out 14 hits in a 10-6 win over The Citadel in the opening game of Sunday's doubleheader and then got clutch relief pitching from Taylor Edens to complete the sweep with a 3-2 victory in the nightcap.

The Keydets (15-22, 8-7 SoCon) took all three games in the weekend series in the first matchup between the military rivals since 2010. The Bulldogs dropped to 18-24 overall and 3-12 in the league.

VMI built an 8-1 lead in the top of the sixth of the first game before Connor Walsh hit his fourth homer of the season, a three-run shot in the bottom of the inning to bring the Bulldogs within four. The Keydets added two in the seventh on an RBI single by Collin Fleischer and a sacrifice fly and withstood a two-run double by pinch-hitter Jason Smith in the eighth.

Andrew Woods went the first seven innings and struck out eight to earn the win and improve to 5-1 before Edens worked a perfect ninth. JP Sears (4-4) went the first 5 2/3 innings for The Citadel and allowed nine hits and six runs (five earned) with seven strikeouts in taking the loss.

The Keydets bunched together four hits and scored twice in the top of the first, and the Bulldogs answered with one in their half of the frame on a double by Mike Deese and an RBI ground out by Walsh.

VMI added to its lead with a solo homer by Jordan Tarsovich in the third and a two-run shot by Ray Lopez in the fourth and made it 8-1 with a three-run sixth including a two-run base hit by David Geary.

Deese had two hits and scored two runs for The Citadel. Tarsovich and Tyler Tharp both had three hits for the Keydets.

VMI scored single runs in the first, third and fourth to take an early 3-0 lead in the second game, all off Bulldog starter Thomas Byelick, who fanned five in four innings. The bullpen then limited the Keydets to one hit over the next five innings, including two shutout frames each by Austin Mason and Skylar Hunter.

The Citadel broke through against Keydet starter Brandon Barbery with a run in the fourth on an RBI single by Stephen Windham and a run-scoring single by Steven Hansen in the sixth. Edens came in with one on and one out in the seventh and allowed only one hit and struck out three the rest of the way for his 11th save of the season.

Barbery gave up only four hits in 6 1/3 innings and upped his record to 5-2, with Byelick falling to 1-3.

The Bulldogs are back in action Tuesday with a 6 p.m. game at Charleston Southern and return to SoCon play next weekend at Samford.