VMI Baseball will travel to High Point for a three-game series at Williard Stadium, beginning Friday, April 24. The Keydets (26-14, 3-9 Southern Conference) are set to play their last non-conference opponent of the season against the Panthers (26-14, 11-4 Big South), marking their first meeting since both teams were in the Big South Conference in 2014.
This matchup is significant as it concludes VMI’s non-conference schedule and features two teams with identical records vying for momentum ahead of conference play. Both programs have demonstrated strong performances this year and will look to build on their successes.
The Keydets’ strategy under head coach Sam Roberts has focused on speed, leading NCAA Division I in stolen bases for three consecutive seasons. Last year, VMI set a program record with 209 steals and currently leads again with 157 steals at an average of four per game. Offensively, VMI boasts a .424 on-base percentage—among the top twenty nationally—and averages over eight runs per game.
Owen Prince is one steal away from breaking the program’s career stolen base record and has reached base safely in all forty games this season. Grayson Fitzwater has hit seventeen home runs so far—third most in school history—and leads his team and conference in several offensive categories including RBIs and slugging percentage. On pitching, Hunter Sipe stands out with a low walk rate and ERA among league leaders.
High Point enters the series having won five straight series despite dropping its last two games. The Panthers feature strong offense and defense: they rank top fifty nationally in doubles, home runs, slugging percentage, fielding percentage, and double plays turned. Their pitching staff holds a collective ERA of 4.31 with Ty Brachbill boasting an impressive individual record.
Historically, VMI holds a slight edge over High Point (17-15 all-time), but both teams are evenly matched when playing at High Point’s home field (9-9). The last contest between these schools was decided after sixteen innings back in 2014.
