VMI Keydets baseball

VMI Keydets baseball
2026 VMI Keydets baseball team
Founded1866
UniversityVirginia Military Institute
Head coachSam Roberts (4th season)
ConferenceSouthern
LocationLexington, Virginia
Home stadiumGray–Minor Stadium
(Capacity: 1,400)
NicknameKeydets
ColorsRed, 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

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. Excluding 2004 to 2014, when they played in the Big South, the Keydets have played for the Southern Conference.

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 1969 team lost to Furman in the SoCon Championship Finals; Furman made the 1969 NCAA University Division baseball tournament with the win.[3] The 1987 and 1993 team each made the tournament final. 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

Main article: List of VMI Keydets baseball seasons
Year Record Conference record Conference Coach
1950 4–14 2–7 Southern Conference Frank Summers
1951 1–20 0–12
1952 1–13 1–8 Vince Ragunas
1953 7–7 4–4 Chuck Noe
1954 12–6 6–4
1955 12–8 6–7
1956 12–10 7–7 Jack Null
1957 8–13 4–6
1958 4–12 2–8
1959 5–11 5–10 Weenie Miller
1960 6–8 5–8
1961 7–7 6–6
1962 8–7 7–7 Charlie McGinnis
1963 14–11 7–7
1964 11–12–1 5–9
1965 15–9 8–6
1966 10–13 6–10 Fred Kelly
1967 9–11 7–9
1968 7–8 3–5 Chuck Roys
1969 10–12 8–7
1970 6–13 4–9 Tom Sawyer
1971 5–24 1–15
1972 6–19 3–13 Phil Tucker
1973 3–14 0–11
1974 6–14 5–9 Donny White
1975 2–18 1–13 Jerry Roane
1976 6–23 2–12
1977 5–19 2–12 Vern Beitzel
1978 2–27 0–14
1979 6–25 0–15
1980 4–22 0–12
1981 3–37 0–16 Jim Rowsey
1982 11–29 6–10 Donny White
1983 11–25 5–9
1984 16–18 6–7
1985 16–24 8–10
1986 15–25 7–11
1987 16–16–1 8–4
1988 20–20 11–7 Paul Maini
1989 16–23 8–7
1990 12–26 6–8
1991 2–35–1 1–15
1992 11–39 4–15 Chris Finwood
1993 20–29 5–15
1994 21–29 10–13
1995 19–28 10–14 Scott Gines
1996 17–29 7–16
1997 13–35 6–13
1998 14–35 7–17
1999 22–27 13–16
2000 19–30 11–19
2001 15–32 8–19 Tom Slater
2002 10–41 1–27
2003 25–27 16–14
2004 23–32 4–20 Big South Marlin Ikenberry
2005 27–28 11–13
2006 30–25 9–15
2007 34–21 10–11
2008 29–26 14–7
2009 18–35 10–15
2010 33–22 13–14
2011 27–24–1 14–13
2012 16–36 7–17
2013 20–35 6–18
2014 25–23 11–16
2015 20–28 12–12 Southern Conference Jonathan Hadra
2016 21–35 4–20 Southern Conference
2017 24–34 7–17 Southern Conference
2018 26–27 12–12 Southern Conference
2019 17–41 9–15 Southern Conference
2020 4–13 0–0 Southern Conference
2021 18–29 13–17 Southern Conference
2022 16–40 6–15 Southern Conference
2023 26–29 9–11 Southern Conference Sam Roberts
2024 27–29 7–14 Southern Conference
2025 27–26 6–15 Southern Conference

Coaching history

Coach Tenure Record Pct. Conference Record
Frank Summers 1950-51 5-34 .128 2-19
Vince Ragunas 1952 1-13 .071 1-8
Chuck Noe 1953–55 31–21 .596 16–15
Jack Null 1956–58 24–35 .407 13–21
Weenie Miller 1959–61 18–26 .409 17–25
Charlie McGinnis 1962–65 48–39–1 .551 26–28
Fred Kelly 1966–67 19–24 .442 13–19
Chuck Roys 1968–69 17–20 .459 11–12
Tom Sawyer 1970–71 11–37 .229 5–24
Phil Tucker 1972–73 9–33 .214 3–24
Donny White 1974, 1982–87 91–151–1 .377 45–60
Jerry Roane 1975–76 8–41 .163 3–25
Vern Beitzel 1977–80 17–93 .155 2–53
Jim Rowsey 1981 3–37 .075 0–16
Paul Maini 1988–91 50–104–1 .326 26–37
Chris Finwood 1992–94 52–97 .349 19–43
Scott Gines 1995–2000 104–184 .361 54–95
Tom Slater 2001–03 50–100 .333 25–60
Marlin Ikenberry 2004–14 282–307–1 .478 109–166
Jonathan Hadra 2015–22 147–249 .371 63–108
Sam Roberts 2023-present 80–84 .487 22–40

VMI and MLB

VMI has had 31 Major League Baseball draft selections since the draft began in 1965.[4]

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.[5]

See also

References

  1. ^ VMI Visual Identity Standards Manual (PDF). Retrieved December 30, 2017.
  2. ^ "Virginia Military Institute Keydets". Retrieved June 21, 2013.
  3. ^ https://vmikeydets.com/documents/2025/5/28/2025_Baseball_Record_Book.pdf?path=baseball
  4. ^ "MLB Amateur Draft Picks who came from "Virginia Military Institute (Lexington, VA)"". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved June 14, 2015.
  5. ^ "Warner Archive Wednesday ~ Brother Rat (1938) and Brother Rat and a Baby (1940)". outofthepastblog.com. March 12, 2014. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
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