LEXINGTON, Va. (Interstat) — Cole Cook launched two home runs and drove in four runs Friday, powering the Virginia Military Institute Keydets to a 13-3 victory over the Maryland-Eastern Shore Hawks at Gray–Minor Stadium.

The game, which began in the afternoon and concluded in the evening, saw the Keydets improve to 5-1 this season, while the Hawks remained winless at 0-4.

Maryland-Eastern Shore struck first in the opening inning. Leadoff hitter A. Carson singled up the middle to drive in three runs, capitalizing on early control issues by VMI starter Peyton Dhein. Dhein settled after the rocky start, however, finishing with four innings pitched, allowing five hits and three earned runs while striking out five.

VMI answered immediately in the bottom of the first as Cook, the Keydets’ left fielder, crushed a solo home run to left-center field. The Keydets then seized control with a six-run outburst in the second and third innings, fueled by patient at-bats and Maryland-Eastern Shore miscues.

The most important sequence of the game came in the bottom of the second inning. After a hit-by-pitch and a walk, VMI’s E. Ogle reached on a throwing error by the pitcher, allowing one run to score. Cook then delivered a two-run single to give VMI a 4-3 lead it would not relinquish. In the third inning, designated hitter Brycen Hamilton cleared the bases with a three-run double, extending the lead to 7-3.

Cook struck again in the fourth inning, hammering his second homer of the day, a solo shot to center field. The Keydets sent 12 men to the plate in the fourth, scoring five more runs. Hamilton added a two-run double, giving him five RBIs for the game, and Max Perry and Ogle were each hit by pitches with the bases loaded to force in runs.

Maryland-Eastern Shore scored its final run in the fifth inning when J. Perez singled off reliever Carson Taylor to drive in Carson. Taylor was otherwise dominant in relief, throwing three scoreless innings with two hits allowed and two strikeouts to secure the win.

The Hawks’ bullpen provided brief highlights late. Shane Stanley pitched a perfect fifth inning with two strikeouts, and Darrius Brown struck out the side in the sixth. Jonathan Rodriguez had an RBI double for the Hawks in the fourth.

Despite collecting seven hits to VMI’s six, the Hawks were undone by 15 strikeouts and critical defensive mistakes. VMI capitalized on 10 walks and three hit batters issued by Maryland-Eastern Shore pitching.

The result defied the projection from Interstat’s game simulator, which had forecast an 8-5 VMI victory. The Keydets’ ELO win probability was set at 87.5 percent.

Maryland-Eastern Shore will look for its first win in the second game of the series here Saturday. VMI aims to continue its strong early-season form, which includes four wins by double-digit margins.