Through the past four years as a cadet at the Virginia Military Institute, the easiest part of many days for Nansemond River alum Justin Topping came with the pressure and intensity of the games, practices and work of being a Division I baseball player.

“It’s never crossed my mind to lighten my load or give up some of the responsibilities I’ve been able to be a part of,” Topping said.

Topping is a two-year team captain and has been one of the baseball program’s academic captains since his sophomore year.

His tasks off the field, many specifically unique to VMI, are more intriguing and varied.

For example, Topping served a year as an assistant prosecutor on VMI’s Honor Court.

The Honor Court is student-run and decides cases concerning VMI’s Honor System. The system mandates, according to VMI’s Web site, “a cadet will not lie, cheat or steal, nor tolerate those who do.”

If the accused cadet is found guilty, with the Honor Court having a jury of randomly selected cadets, the only penalty is dismissal from VMI.

“I’m proud I served on the Honor Court. I never thought it was something I’d do when I got here,” Topping said.

“The meetings were up to three hours, usually late at night,” Topping said.

Work preparing for trials and trials themselves means 20-40 hours of work per week is common, Topping said.

For the last two years, Topping, an economics and business major, has been a member of the Cadet Investment Group.

A Keydet alum established a $200,000 investment fund for the Institute in 1986. The Cadet Investment Group is divided into two teams of cadets, with each team managing half the fund.

Topping held rank within his class during his sophomore and junior years. He was the cadet in charge of VMI’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter for 2009-10.

“I guess I decided the extra experiences and knowledge that’s come from the times dealing with people, helping cadets and taking on things I never thought I would, it’s all much greater in terms of the benefits I’ve gained than the time I’ve spent doing these things,” Topping said.

With everything on Topping’s plate, along with excelling with his own academics to the point where he was nearly a full semester ahead for his senior year and is currently wrapping up two courses for his last semester, he admits some stretches when four or five hours of sleep a night was average, baseball season or otherwise.

“Fortunately I’ve been able to slow down a little through the last four months,” Topping said.

Extra time hasn’t meant taking it easy. A lot of that is Topping’s nature. Some of it dates back to high school, when he was a catcher and quarterback.

As a Warrior, Topping played both sports through reoccurring lower back stiffness.

“I thought a lot of it was just normal with being an athlete,” he said.

His second year as a Keydet, the pain became enough for him to see a doctor.

“The diagnosis was my vertebrae connecting to my hips was broken and out of place,” Topping said.

“The doctor said, ‘We usually see this in smaller football players,’ and I said, ‘Now that you mention it, I was a 5-foot-10 quarterback.’”

It wasn’t one hit or one play that caused the injury, but stress over time.

Topping adjusted his baseball routine some. He played through the summer between his freshman and sophomore years. Since the diagnosis, summers have been for physical therapy and rest.

Then there’s all the normal knocks and injuries. Topping’s worked through “nagging things” such as a torn tendon in his hand during last season.

“There’s been tons of ice and ice baths. I do a ton of stretching,” Topping said.

While playing a little catcher and outfield, Topping’s become a regular at designated hitter; this season, usually hitting fifth in the Keydet order.

“No one really tries to be a playmaker. I try to do the little things as well as I can, if that’s bunting, taking a walk, moving a runner over,” Topping said.

“That’s the type of ball we play. It’s how we have to play,” he said.

The Keydets manufacture offense as part of their strategy. New bat restrictions in college baseball starting this season have made a difference too.

“Even a ball you strike perfectly, it doesn’t come off the same way, with the same pop, it used to,” Topping said.

“There’s more importance on doing the little things. Executing on hit-and-runs, bunts, plays like that,” he said.

Topping’s hitting .326 this season. He’s taken more hit-by-pitches (7) than strikeouts (6) on the year.

The Keydets (21-22-1, 9-12 Big South) have eight regular season dates left before the Big South Tournament May 24-28 in Lexington. It’ll be the first time VMI’s hosted the Big South tourney.

Topping took his last exam Friday. He’s going to graduate school at William and Mary to pursue an MBA.

For his last few weeks and few games as a Keydet he’ll get to do something rare — just play baseball for the Keydets.