LEXINGTON, Va. (Interstat) — Grayson Fitzwater went 4 for 4 with three home runs and five RBIs as the Virginia Military Institute Keydets rallied to defeat the Western Illinois Leathernecks 10-7 on Friday in the first game of a doubleheader at Gray–Minor Stadium.

Western Illinois built a 7-0 lead by the third inning, highlighted by a three-run homer from Krayton Morse. VMI chipped away before Fitzwater tied the game with a solo shot in the seventh. Seth Buchanan followed with a three-run homer later in the inning for the decisive runs.

Tyler Bassett earned the win in relief for the 12-2 Keydets. Jason Buhl took the loss for Western Illinois, which fell to 3-9. The teams combined for 18 hits.