Score: VCU: 4, Sacred Heart: 5
Location: Richmond, Va. (The Diamond)
Records: VCU 4-2, Sacred Heart 1-1

THE SHORT STORY

After falling behind early, the Rams steadily cut into Sacred Heart's lead, but a stout pitching performance by the Pioneers kept VCU at bay Saturday afternoon at the Diamond.

LEADING OFF

• Freshman infielder Tyler Locklear was the only Ram with a multi-hit game, picking up two on the afternoon with an RBI.
• Carter Knapek, a redshirt junior from Slingerlands, N.Y., had a strong performance after throwing 3.1 innings. He left the mound with three strikeouts and only 2 hits allowed.
• Junior Liam Hibbits added a hit and an RBI to the Rams' cause.
• The Pioneers outhit the Rams 14-6. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Sacred Heart established itself early, taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning.
• After two quick outs, Hibbits put a single to left field for the Rams' first hit of the day, but he was stranded in the bottom of the first.
• Mason Delane retired the Pioneers in order in the top of the second and a combination of Deland and Maddison Furman kept Sacred Heart off the board in the third inning.
• Sacred Heart did its bulk of the damage in the top of the fourth, scoring four runs on seven hits for a 5-0 lead.
• The Rams began to chip away at the lead, getting across home plate twice in the bottom of the fifth. With patient at-bats, VCU took three free passes to load the bases with just one out. Hibbits was hit by a pitch and Tyler Locklear worked another walk to drive two runs across home plate to cut the lead 5-2.  
• Carter Knapek was phenomenal on the bump, keeping the Pioneers without a run in his 3.1 innings to give the Rams' offense a chance to mount a comeback.
• Hunter Vay gave the Rams new life in the top of the seventh with a leadoff home run over the right field fence to cut the lead 5-3. This marked the first home run of the season at The Diamond.
• Devin Dunn took over the mound in the top of the ninth and kept the Pioneers from crossing home plate.
• VCU nearly completed the comeback in the bottom of the ninth, but came up 90-feet short. A one-out single by Locklear and standup double by Puglielli put the tying run in scoring position. Locklear scored on a Steven Carpenter sacrifice fly to bring the Rams within one. Puglielli tagged up on the fly ball, and stood just 90-feet from tying the game in the bottom of the ninth, but the Pioneers came up with a strikeout to strand the tying run. 

NEXT UP

VCU will close out its series against Sacred Heart Sunday, Feb. 23 at The Diamond. First Pitch is slated for 1 p.m.