Score: VCU 14, Towson 9
Location: Richmond, Va. (The Diamond)
Records: VCU 7-6, Towson 1-11
 
The short story: Freshman third baseman Tyler Locklear continued his torrid start to the season and VCU battered Towson for 13 hits on the way to a series-opening victory Friday night at The Diamond.
 
FIRST PITCH

• Locklear launched a solo home run in the third and a three-run blast in the fifth to spark the VCU offense. He finished his night 2-for-4 with four RBIs
• Rams' senior centerfielder Hogan Brown batted 3-for-4 with three RBIs and three runs scored. He also stole his fifth base of the season
• Freshman shortstop Michael Hujsak and sophomore right fielder Logan Amiss also drove in two runs a piece for the Rams
• VCU sophomore right-hander picked up his second win of the season with 3.1 innings of relief, sophomore lefty Maddison Furman spun two scoreless innings of one-hit relief. He struck out five

THE DIFFERENCE

• VCU broke open a tie game and took a 10-3 lead when it sent 13 men to the plate and recorded seven runs on seven base hits in the third inning. Locklear led off the frame with a solo shot to center. Later in the inning, Amiss singled home a pair, and Hujsak followed with a run-scoring double down the left field line
• Brown helped stake VCU to a 3-0 lead in the bottom half of the second when he stroked a bases-loaded single to score Amiss and senior Andrew Puglielli
• VCU rocked Towson starter Josh Seils for 10 earned runs on nine hits in 2.2 innings

NOTABLE

• VCU has scored nine or more runs in seven straight games
• Locklear's eight home runs this season are the most by a Ram since the 2017 season. VCU has played 13 games
• Brown has registered four multi-hit games this season. He's driven in 10 runs in his past five games

NEXT UP
VCU and Towson will resume their three-game series with game two on Saturday, March 13 at 2 p.m. at The Diamond. That game will be broadcast on ESPN+.