Score: UNC Wilmington 5, VCU 4
Location: Wilmington, N.C. (Brooks Field)
Records: VCU 0-1, UNCW 1-0
 
The short story: Freshman third baseman Tyler Locklear homered and senior starter Michael Dailey threw five strong innings, but it wasn't enough to hold off a UNC Wilmington comeback in both teams' 2021 season-opener Saturday.
 
LEADING OFF

• Sophomore shortstop Michael Haydak rapped a double and finished 2-of-5 at the plate with a run scored for VCU
• Dailey, whose comeback season in 2020 was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, picked up where he left off a year ago. The sixth-year senior scattered four hits and allowed two runs, while striking out 10 in five innings
• Locklear went 1-for-4 on the day, while junior centerfielder Hogan Brown singled stole his first base of the year.
• Senior second baseman Andrew Puglielli singled and reached base three times for the Black and Gold

 
THE DIFFERENCE

• An RBI single by Jac Croom and a bases loaded walk by Chris Thornburn completed a three-run rally by UNC Wilmington in the bottom of the ninth.
• VCU led 4-2 entering the ninth, but Taber Mongero drew a leadoff walk, and two batters later, Brooks Baldwin tripled down the left field line to bring UNCW within 4-3. The next batter, Croom, sent a ball up the middle to score Baldwin and tie the score
• The Seahawks drew eight walks in the game
• The UNCW bullpen held the Rams scoreless for the final three frames
• Locklear got the Rams on the board in the fourth with a two-strike shot to center. In the top of the sixth, VCU erased a 2-1 deficit with the help of back-to-back RBI singles by senior leftfielder Brandon Henson and junior designated hitter Jack Schroeder

NEXT UP
VCU is set to take on UNC Wilmington at 1 p.m. in Game Two of this three-game set at Brooks Field