Game 1: VCU 9, Saint Louis 8 (10 inn.)
Game 2: VCU 16, Saint Louis 5 (8 inn.)
Location: St. Louis, Mo. (Billiken Sports Center)
Records: VCU 32-14 (13-3 Atlantic 10), Saint Louis 15-28 (5-7)
 
The short story: After holding on for a dramatic extra-innings win in the first game of an Atlantic-10 doubleheader, VCU induced the run rule in the night cap to complete a four-game sweep of Saint Louis.
 
GAME ONE
First Pitch

• Freshman shortstop Connor Hujsak scored on an RBI fielder's choice from senior first baseman Steven Carpenter to give the Rams the decisive 9-8 advantage in the top of the 10th inning.
• Hujsak scored a game-high three runs despite not registering a hit.
• Freshman third baseman Tyler Locklear went 3-for-5 with a walk, two runs and a game-high three RBIs.
• Junior designated hitter Liam Hibbits also went 3-for-5, adding an RBI.
• Carpenter and junior center fielder Hogan Brown each scored two runs.

 
The Difference

• Per A-10 rules, Hujsak started the 10th inning on second base. He then immediately advanced to third on a wild pitch. After Brown walked, Carpenter hit a ground ball to the left side that scored Hujsak from third as the Saint Louis shortstop took the sure out at second base.
• Freshman lefty Campbell Ellis bounced back from a ninth inning where his inherited runner scored the tying run to record a 1-2-3 frame in the 10th, securing his fifth win of the season.
• After falling behind 2-0 early, the Rams scored four runs both the fifth and sixth innings.
• Brown, Locklear, Hibbits, and Jack Schroeder all collected RBI singles in the fifth to give VCU a 4-2 lead.
• Locklear smoked a two-run single up the middle in the sixth, later coming around to score on a wild pitch after Brandon Henson drew an RBI walk for the second straight game.
• Saint Louis outhit VCU 14-9, but the Rams drew seven walks compared to the Billikens' four, and held the advantage in batting average with runners in scoring position (.316 against .200).

 
GAME TWO
First Pitch

• Sophomore second baseman Greg Ryan made the most of his third start of the season, going 2-for-3 with a walk, two runs and a game-high four RBIs.
• Carpenter stayed hot in the second game, going 2-for-3 with two walks, three runs and three RBIs.
• Schroeder went 2-for-4 with a walk, three runs and a pair of RBIs.

 
The Difference

• While the Billikens once again outhit the Rams, this time 11-10, VCU continued to hold massive advantages in walks (12-2) and batting average with RISP (.412-.222).
• VCU hit three triples, all to right center.
• The Rams opened the scoring in the top of the fourth, when an RBI groundout by Hibbits scored Carpenter, who had tripled.
• VCU used two huge innings, an eight-run fifth and a five-run eighth, to build a large enough lead to end the game via run rule.
• The scoring barrage in the fifth started with an RBI squeeze bunt from Brown, which plated Husjak, who had gotten to third on a stand-up triple. The advantage was doubled to 4-0 by a two-run Carpenter single up the middle.
• A Schroeder RBI single, a Hunter Vay RBI walk, a wild pitch that scored Schroeder, and a two-run single from Ryan completed the crooked number for the Rams.
• While he didn't get a decision, starter Bradford Webb threw four scoreless innings by scattering seven hits and striking out three.
• Freshman lefty Jack Masloff earned his first win of the year, throwing two scoreless frames of relief, including a brutally efficient three-up, three-down seventh.
• Sophomore lefty Jaden Griffin closed out the game by striking out the side in the eighth.

 
NOTABLE

• The Rams have won 16 straight games.
• VCU has also won 12 consecutive A-10 contests.
• This is the third straight sweep of an A-10 series for VCU.

 
UP NEXT
VCU closes out both its home and A-10 regular season schedule with a four-game set against Dayton from May 14-16 at The Diamond.