The Basics

• Score: VCU 7, Fordham 2
• Records: VCU (27-22, 9-10 Atlantic 10), Fordham (21-26, 12-7 Atlantic 10)
• Location:  The Diamond inside the HDL, Inc. Athletic Village – Richmond, Va.
• The Short Story: After scuffling a bit as of late, VCU picked up its winning ways with a 7-2 win over visiting Fordham. JoJo Howie and Daniel Concepcion provided the pitching, allowing just two runs on the evening. At the plate Matt Davis, Darian Carpenter, and Walker Haymaker all contributed multi-hit efforts.

How It Happened

• Fordham jumped out to an early lead with a run in the top of the second, but VCU responded with a sacrifice fly in the bottom half of the third to tie the game up at 1-1
• The Rams added another couple of runs in the fifth inning, one on an RBI double by Matt Davis and another on a sacrifice fly to deep centerfield by Vimael Machin, his second of the day.
• In their next trip to the plate the visiting Rams blasted a solo homerun to left field to cut their deficit in half, 3-2.
• The runs kept coming for VCU, with three more Rams crossing the plate in the bottom of the sixth. Walker Haymaker drove in the first run of the inning with an RBI single and Daane Berezo laid down about as perfect a squeeze bunt as you can imagine, scoring Matt Davis and allowing himself to reach first base. Logan Farrar followed that up with an RBI double that just snuck inside the right field line.
• JoJo Howie started on the mound for the Rams tonight and did a fantastic job of limiting Fordham's high-octane running game in his six innings of work.
• VCU added another run in the bottom of the eighth. Haiden Lamb, serving as a pinch runner, stole second base and ended up scoring when the throw from the catcher ended up in the outfield.
• Daniel Concepcion notched his 10^th save of the season in the 7-2 win.

Quotable: "It's great to get the first one of the series obviously, for us, so we can get a little momentum coming back our way and relax a bit.  I really thought our offensive approach tonight was the best that it's been all season, I'm really proud of how ready to go the guys were and how well prepared the assistant coaches had them. And JoJo Howie was just outstanding, a senior making his last start at home and he was just fabulous and so was Daniel Concepcion coming in behind him. Fordham is very good and it's going to take a big effort from us to win tomorrow and on Sunday, but I think the guys are ready. We've got the right mindset we just have to come out and do it again tomorrow." –Head coach Shawn Stiffler

Up Next: VCU will battle again with Fordham tomorrow, Friday, at 11 a.m.