FINAL: VCU 1 (2-5), Pittsburgh 6 (3-5) (Myrtle Beach, S.C.) –TicketReturn.com Field at Pelican Park

VCU STARTERS: Acker (RF), Bunn (LF) Farrar (CF), Machin (SS), Carpenter (1B), Davis (3B), Kerrigan (DH), Haymaker (C), Mickelson (2B), Blanchard (SP)

PITTSBURGH STARTERS: Wright (RF), LeBlanc (SS), Frabasilio (2B), Yarnall (DH), Kowalczyk (C), Vazquez (LF), Schnurbusch (CF), Hess (1B), Sherman (3B), Sandefur (SP)

THE BASICS: One night after pounding out 12 hits, the Rams managed just four in tonight's 6-1 loss to Pittsburgh. Senior Matt Blanchard took the hill in today's game, going five innings and striking out seven while allowing three runs. Senior Vimael Machin continued his weekend with two hits tonight.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Tonight's game started in a similar fashion to yesterday's: with a Pittsburgh 2-run home run. Tonight, the Panthers' Jordan Frabasilio launched the long ball for his team to put them ahead 2-0, and later in the frame an RBI groundout put the Rams in a 3-0 hole.
• Pitt added three more runs in the sixth inning. An RBI single up the middle came first, then two runs scored as the result of a VCU error. Pittsburgh's Eric Hess grounded out to the pitcher Sean Thompson, who tagged out Hess, turned around, and fired a throw to home to thwart the runner coming from third. The throw was off the mark, however, and allowed the Panthers to score two runs on the play, making the score 6-1.
• The Rams scored their run in the top of the ninth inning with two outs. Ryan Coale lofted a pop fly towards the shortstop, who misplayed the ball and allowed Jimmy Kerrigan to score and Coale to reach second. It was an uncharacteristically poor play from the shortstop, who had an otherwise spectacular game in the field.
• The run ended up being too little too late for the Rams, who would end up falling by the score of 6-1 to even the weekend series at 1-1.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Machin continued his solid weekend at the plate with a 2-for-4 performance; he has reached base seven times so far in this weekend's series.

QUOTABLE

• "It's disappointing to come out and not get anything going tonight after playing well last night and having an emotional win. Offensively we've struggled to get into a rhythm and that's something we're going to have to continue to work at. The guys are working hard and fighting for it and it'll happen, it's still early in the year."  -Coach Shawn Stiffler