LEXINGTON, Va. (Interstat) — Bradley Garner launched a go-ahead, two-run home run in the eighth inning, capping a dramatic comeback as the Virginia Military Institute Keydets edged the Western Illinois Leathernecks 8-7 in the first game of a doubleheader Friday at Gray–Minor Stadium.

The game, which began in the afternoon and concluded in the evening, saw the Keydets erase a five-run deficit, powered by a grand slam from Garner in the sixth, before his late heroics secured the win. Virginia Military Institute improved to 12-2, while Western Illinois fell to 3-9.

Western Illinois built a commanding early lead, capitalizing on Virginia Military Institute mistakes in a four-run second inning. After Wandel Campana led off with a double, three unearned runs scored following a two-out fielding error by Keydets third baseman Max Perry. Liam Bushey’s two-run single capped the rally, staking the Leathernecks to a 4-0 advantage.

Virginia Military Institute began chipping away in the third. Owen Prince doubled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Grayson Fitzwater. Cole Cook, who walked and stole second, came home on an RBI single by Garner, making it 4-2. Seth Buchanan added a solo home run in the fourth to trim the deficit to one run.

The game turned decisively in the bottom of the sixth. Trailing 7-3, the Keydets loaded the bases with one out against reliever Karsten Stotlar. Garner then crushed a 1-0 pitch from Stotlar over the left-field wall for a grand slam, his first hit in three games after an 0-for-9 slump, suddenly tying the score at 7.

Western Illinois responded immediately in the top of the eighth. After an error extended the inning, Joe Connolly hammered a two-run homer off reliever Hunter Sipe to put the Leathernecks back in front 9-7.

The lead was short-lived. In the bottom of the eighth, Fitzwater led off with a towering solo shot to center field off Harrison Dubois to pull the Keydets within one. After Garner struck out, Buddy Baker entered as a pinch-runner but was stranded. The Keydets then turned to Baker on the mound for the ninth, and he retired the side in order to seal the victory.

The most important sequence of the game was Garner’s sixth-inning grand slam. It transformed the contest, erasing what had been a comfortable Western Illinois lead and shifting all momentum to the home side. The slam, a no-doubt blast with the bases loaded, catalyzed the Keydets’ offense and set the stage for the final back-and-forth innings.

Garner finished 3 for 5 with five RBIs, accounting for the tying and winning runs. Fitzwater went 2 for 3 with a homer and two RBIs. For Western Illinois, Campana was a constant threat, going 4 for 5 with three doubles and two runs scored. Connolly added two hits, including his two-run homer.

Keydets starter Peyton Dhein allowed seven hits and three runs, only one earned, over five innings with five strikeouts. Baker earned the win with two perfect innings of relief, striking out two. Jackson Rodgers started for Western Illinois, giving up three runs over four innings. Dubois took the loss, surrendering the decisive homer to Fitzwater in his 2 2/3 innings of work.

The outcome defied the pregame projection from Interstat, which gave Virginia Military Institute a 71.3% chance to win and predicted a 7-3 final score.