Game 1: VCU 14, Saint Louis 6
Game 2: VCU 19, Saint Louis 4
Location: Saint Louis, Mo. (Billiken Sports Center)
Records: VCU 30-14 (11-3 Atlantic 10), Saint Louis 15-26 (5-5)
 
The short story: The Rams exploded for 32 hits in 14 innings, outscoring Saint Louis 33-10 in a doubleheader sweep on Friday.
 
GAME ONE
First Pitch

• VCU scored 10 runs on 10 hits, including seven extra-base hits, in the top of the second to take control of the game.
• All nine VCU batters scored at least one run, with five Rams scoring twice.
• The top six batters in the VCU order recorded multi-hit games, including a 3-for-5 performance from senior first baseman Steven Carpenter.
• Five different Rams collected multiple RBIs, with eight Rams collecting at least one.

 
The Difference

• VCU registered RBIs in eight consecutive at-bats in the second to take a commanding lead. Connor Hujsak opened the scoring by smacking a two-run double to left field. Hogan Brown followed with an RBI groundout to push the lead to 3-0.
• The Rams then got five straight RBI hits from Michael Haydak, Tyler Locklear, Carpenter, Liam Hibbits, and Brandon Henson.
• Junior catcher Hunter Vay put an exclamation mark on the frame with a two-run homer to right, his third of the year.
• After the Billikens responded with a two-run homer in the bottom of the second, VCU restored its 10-run lead through RBI singles from Locklear and Hibbits.
• Saint Louis cut the lead to 12-6 by the end of the sixth inning, but Haydak doubled home Hujsak, then scored on an error in the seventh to push the advantage to 14-6.
• Freshman righty Mason Delane picked up his second win in as many starts, allowing three earned runs in five innings and striking out five.
• Freshman reliever Andrew Ward used a pair of strikeouts to retire Saint Louis in order in the seventh.

 
GAME TWO
First Pitch

• Senior catcher Josh Simon hit a pair of home runs to left field and drew a walk, collecting three RBIs in addition to three runs scored.
• Haydak went 3-for-3, collecting two doubles, a hit-by-pitch, two RBIs, and scoring four runs.
• Hibbits delivered a game-high four RBIs, going 2-for-2 with a double, a run, and a hit-by-pitch.
• Locklear scored three runs, while Carpenter and Henson picked up three RBIs apiece.

 
The Difference

• VCU scored at least one run in every inning, and plated multiple runs in four frames.
• Hibbits opened the scoring in the first with a sacrifice fly that scored Haydak.
• The Rams plated four in the second behind a Haydak RBI double, a two-run single from Carpenter, and a Henson RBI walk.
• After the Billikens scored four in the bottom of the second to cut the lead to 5-4, VCU responded with 14 unanswered runs over the final five frames.
• The Rams scored seven runs in the third, capped off by back-to-back home runs from Henson and junior outfielder Jack Schroeder.
• Run-scoring singles from Locklear and Hibbits in the fourth pushed the lead to 15-4.
• Simon homered to left in both the fifth and sixth innings for a total of three RBIs.
• Freshman catcher Nic Ericsson scored on an error in the seventh to complete the Rams' scoring.
• Freshman lefty Tyler Davis earned his team-leading eighth win of the year, throwing three innings of scoreless relief and striking out four.

 
NOTABLE

• VCU has won 14 straight games, including 10 straight in A-10 play.
• The Rams hit a total of five home runs across the two games.
• At 11-3 in conference play, VCU has the best record in the A-10.

 
UP NEXT
VCU and Saint Louis are scheduled to play nine-inning games on both Saturday, May 8 and Sunday, May 9 with start times to be determined tomorrow morning.