Virginia Commonwealth University rallied to score three runs in the fifth inning and went on to defeat Virginia State University, 3-1, in the first game of a doubleheader Sunday afternoon at The Diamond. 

Sophomore Taylor Perkins and freshman Nick Kime each went 1-for-2 and drove in a run, while senior Richard Gonzalez also collected a RBI.

Freshman Blake Hauser, who saw his first action since April 2 after recovering from a shoulder injury, picked up his third win of the season after tossing two scoreless innings with three strikeouts.  Meanwhile, senior Robbie Andrews recorded his eighth save.

Virginia State's Shannon Rush singled to lead off the third and later came home after Howard Spencer hit a ball up the middle and the Trojans took a one-run advantage.

Sophomore Paul Nice started the VCU rally with a leadoff single to center in the fifth.  Perkins then tripled down the right field line and knotted the score at 1-1.  Kime followed with a double into the left field corner before Gonzalez put VCU on top 3-1 with a RBI groundout.