LEXINGTON, Va. – Red-shirt sophomore Justin Starke and sophomore Brett Cook combined for five hits and two home runs Saturday, but the Rider University (N.J.) baseball team bested VMI 11-4 in non-conference play from Gray-Minor Field.

Starke went 3-3 with a walk and his conference-leading ninth home run while Cook drilled his fifth home run of the year and was 2-5. Ty Swaim had two doubles and scored twice and Zac Morris had two hits and stole two bases.

The visiting Broncs scored the first six runs of the contest but VMI cut the lead to 6-2 in the fourth. Rider added two runs in the fifth, one in the sixth and two in the ninth.

Brendan O'Donnell and Brian Skettini each went 2-5 with a home run for Rider (8-9).

JT Inskeep tossed 1 2/3 innings of hitless relief for the Keydets (8-10).

The two teams will close out the series Sunday at 1 p.m.