VMI Keydets baseball

Baseball team of the Virginia Military Institute

VMI Keydets

2024 VMI Keydets baseball team
Founded| 1866
University| Virginia Military Institute
Head coach| Sam Roberts (2nd season)
Conference| Southern
Location| Lexington, Virginia
Home stadium| Gray–Minor Stadium
(Capacity: 1,400)
Nickname| Keydets
Colors| Red, white, and yellow[1]

The VMI Keydets baseball team represents the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia.[2] The team is a member of the Southern Conference, which is part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I. VMI's first baseball team was fielded in 1866. The team plays its home games at Gray–Minor Stadium in Lexington, Virginia. The Keydets are coached by Sam Roberts.

## History

[edit]

In fall 1866, just two years after the Virginia Military Institute had been burned down by David Hunter and the Union Army, a group of cadets got together and created the Institute's first organized baseball team. It was the first organized team from any sport. In the inaugural season, the Keydets had an astounding mark of 20–1–2, playing among in-state rivals such as Washington and Lee, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Randolph-Macon and Hampden-Sydney, and continuously so for the next several decades.

In 1921, the team started playing at recently built Alumni Memorial Field along with the football team. Both squads had, up to that point, been playing on the Parade Ground. It was not until the 1960s that the baseball team shifted to Patchin Field, and most recently in 2007, began playing in Gray-Minor Stadium.

Despite having many winning seasons throughout the 20th century and into the last decade, the Keydets have never been able to make the NCAA tournament. The 1993 team came closest to breaking the barrier with a run to the Southern Conference finals, and despite being an 8th seed, VMI upended three higher-seeded teams before bowing down to eventual champion Western Carolina.

## Year-by-year results

[edit]

Main article: List of VMI Keydets baseball seasons

Year  | Record (Conference)  | Coach

|
|

1950  | 4–14 (2–7)  | Frank Summers
1951  | 1–20 (0–12)  | Frank Summers
1952  | 1–13 (1–8)  | Vince Ragunas
1953  | 7–7 (4–4)  | Chuck Noe
1954  | 12–6 (6–4)  | Chuck Noe
1955  | 12–8 (6–7)  | Chuck Noe
1956  | 12–10 (7–7)  | Jack Null
1957  | 8–13 (4–6)  | Jack Null
1958  | 4–12 (2–8)  | Jack Null
1959  | 5–11 (5–10)  | Weenie Miller
1960  | 6–8 (5–8)  | Weenie Miller
1961  | 7–7 (6–6)  | Weenie Miller
1962  | 8–7 (7–7)  | Charlie McGinnis
1963  | 14–11 (7–7)  | Charlie McGinnis
1964  | 11–12–1 (5–9)  | Charlie McGinnis
1965  | 15–9 (8–6)  | Charlie McGinnis
1966  | 10–13 (6–10)  | Fred Kelly
1967  | 9–11 (7–9)  | Fred Kelly
1968  | 7–8 (3–5)  | Chuck Roys
1969  | 10–12 (8–7)  | Chuck Roys
1970  | 6–13 (4–9)  | Tom Sawyer
1971  | 5–24 (1–15)  | Tom Sawyer
1972  | 6–19 (3–13)  | Phil Tucker
1973  | 3–14 (0–11)  | Phil Tucker
1974  | 6–14 (5–9)  | Donny White
1975  | 2–18 (1–13)  | Jerry Roane
1976  | 6–23 (2–12)  | Jerry Roane
1977  | 5–19 (2–12)  | Vern Beitzel
1978  | 2–27 (0–14)  | Vern Beitzel
1979  | 6–25 (0–15)  | Vern Beitzel
1980  | 4–22 (0–12)  | Vern Beiztel
1981  | 3–37 (0–16)  | Jim Rowsey
1982  | 11–29 (6–10)  | Donny White
1983  | 11–25 (5–9)  | Donny White
1984  | 16–18 (6–7)  | Donny White
1985  | 16–24 (8–10)  | Donny White
1986  | 15–25 (7–11)  | Donny White
1987  | 16–16–1 (8–4)  | Donny White
1988  | 20–20 (11–7)  | Paul Maini
1989  | 16–23 (8–7)  | Paul Maini
1990  | 12–26 (6–8)  | Paul Maini
1991  | 2–35–1 (1–15)  | Paul Maini
1992  | 11–39 (4–15)  | Chris Finwood
1993  | 20–29 (5–15)  | Chris Finwood
1994  | 21–29 (10–13)  | Chris Finwood
1995  | 19–28 (10–14)  | Scott Gines
1996  | 17–29 (7–16)  | Scott Gines
1997  | 13–35 (6–13)  | Scott Gines
1998  | 14–35 (7–17)  | Scott Gines
1999  | 22–27 (13–16)  | Scott Gines
2000  | 19–30 (11–19)  | Scott Gines
2001  | 15–32 (8–19)  | Tom Slater
2002  | 10–41 (1–27)  | Tom Slater
2003  | 25–27 (16–14)  | Tom Slater
2004  | 23–32 (4–20)  | Marlin Ikenberry
2005  | 27–28 (11–13)  | Marlin Ikenberry
2006  | 30–25 (9–15)  | Marlin Ikenberry
2007  | 34–21 (10–11)  | Marlin Ikenberry
2008  | 29–26 (14–7)  | Marlin Ikenberry
2009  | 18–35 (10–15)  | Marlin Ikenberry
2010  | 33–22 (13–14)  | Marlin Ikenberry
2011  | 27–24–1 (14–13)  | Marlin Ikenberry
2012  | 16–36 (7–17)  | Marlin Ikenberry
2013  | 20–35 (6–18)  | Marlin Ikenberry
2014  | 25–23 (11–16)  | Marlin Ikenberry

## VMI and MLB

[edit]

VMI has had 31 Major League Baseball Draft selections since the draft began in 1965.[3]

Keydets in the Major League Baseball Draft

Year  | Player  | Round  | Team
1965 | Percy Sensabaugh | 51  | Orioles
1966 | Robin Porter | 24  | Pirates
1966 | Percy Sensabaugh | 4  | Senators
1989 | Andy Beasley | 17  | Athletics
1990 | Mark Craft | 11  | Athletics
1990 | Andy Beasley | 4  | Cardinals
1994 | Marc Phillips | 32  | Royals
1995 | David Groseclose | 22  | Rockies
1995 | Ryan Glynn | 4  | Rangers
1996 | Nathan Shepperson | 55  | Pirates
2003 | Phillip Hendrix | 35  | Brewers
2003 | Andy Barden | 19  | Braves
2003 | Jeremy Harper | 14  | Blue Jays
2005 | Matt Acors | 32  | Pirates
2006 | Kelly Sweppenhiser | 44  | Blue Jays
2007 | Corey Bachman | 40  | Cubs
2007 | Chad Rice | 24  | Pirates
2007 | Michael Anton | 12  | Angels
2008 | Michael Roberts | 38  | Brewers
2008 | Trey Barham | 25  | Athletics
2008 | Michael Bowman | 9  | Brewers
2009 | Tanner Biagini | 50  | Athletics
2009 | Travis Smink | 31  | Astros
2010 | Jordan Ballard | 33  | Rockies
2011 | Sam Roberts | 26  | Athletics
2012 | Coby Cowgill | 23  | Rangers
2012 | Adam Lopez | 21  | White Sox
2014 | Connor Bach | 21  | Nationals
2014 | Reed Garrett | 16  | Rangers
2015 | Jordan Tarsovich | 22  | Dodgers
2015 | Matt Winn | 14  | Giants

## In popular culture

[edit]

The 1938 film, Brother Rat is set at the Virginia Military Institute. The film features Eddie Albert as the VMI baseball team's star pitcher, and Ronald Reagan as his catcher. The film's plot centers on Albert and Reagan as they attempt to win the big baseball game against rival Virginia. Portions of the film were shot on location at the VMI campus in Lexington. In 1940, the film was followed by a sequel, Brother Rat and a Baby, featuring the same lead cast members. The sequel film's plot centered on the since-graduated Albert's attempt to get a job as a baseball coach at his alma mater.[4]

## See also

[edit]

* List of NCAA Division I baseball programs

## References

[edit]

1. ^ VMI Visual Identity Standards Manual (PDF). Retrieved December 30, 2017.
2. ^ "Virginia Military Institute Keydets". Retrieved June 21, 2013.
3. ^ "MLB Amateur Draft Picks who came from "Virginia Military Institute (Lexington, VA)"". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved June 14, 2015.
4. ^ "Warner Archive Wednesday ~ Brother Rat (1938) and Brother Rat and a Baby (1940)". outofthepastblog.com. March 12, 2014. Retrieved June 28, 2014.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website

* v
* t
* e

VMI Keydets baseball

Venues|

* Old Patchin Field (1960s–1987)
* Patchin Field (1988–2006)
* Gray–Minor Stadium (2007–present)

Culture & lore|

* Brother Rat
* Brother Rat and a Baby

Seasons|

* 1950
* 1951
* 1952
* 1953
* 1954
* 1955
* 1956
* 1957
* 1958
* 1959
* 1960
* 1961
* 1962
* 1963
* 1964
* 1965
* 1966
* 1967
* 1968
* 1969
* 1970
* 1971
* 1972
* 1973
* 1974
* 1975
* 1976
* 1977
* 1978
* 1979
* 1980
* 1981
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1985
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1989
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1993
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999
* 2000
* 2001
* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023

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Virginia Military Institute

Lexington, Virginia

Academics|

* Academic Rankings
* Academic Programs
* Military Service

Athletics|

* Football
* Basketball
* Baseball
* Men's Soccer
* Wrestling
* Cameron Hall
* Cormack Field House
* Gray–Minor Stadium
* Patchin Field

Campus|

* VMI Campus
* Barracks
* History

Life|

* Triads
* Students
* Admission of women
* United States v. Virginia
* The Cadet
* Student life
* Ratline
* Traditions
* Honor code
* Clubs and activities

People|

* Alumni
* Stonewall Jackson
* Francis Henney Smith
* John Thomas Lewis Preston

* Commons
* Category

* v
* t
* e

Southern Conference baseball

Teams|

* The Citadel Bulldogs
* East Tennessee State Buccaneers
* Mercer Bears
* Samford Bulldogs
* UNC Greensboro Spartans
* VMI Keydets
* Western Carolina Catamounts
* Wofford Terriers

Championships & awards|

* Tournament
* Major awards
* Coach of the Year
* Player of the Year
* Pitcher of the Year
* Freshman of the Year

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