Score: VCU 6, VMI 4
Location: Lexington, Va. (Gray-Minor Stadium)
Records: VCU 17-14, VMI 10-24
 
The short story: Great pitching performances and timely hitting guided the Rams to a midweek win on the road.
 
FIRST PITCH

• Redshirt sophomore left-hander Jack Masloff was dominant in the middle innings, striking out five batters across 4.0 scoreless innings, and allowing just one baserunner on a hard-luck triple on a dropped fly ball. He improved to 3-1 on the year with the win.
• Sophomore lefty Tyler Davis threw 3.0 innings to start the game, collecting a strikeout and allowing one run.
• Graduate right-hander Nolan Wilson struck out five batters to close out the final two innings.
• Redshirt sophomore second baseman Ben Nippolt led the VCU bats, going 3-for-5 with a double, two runs and two RBIs.
• Redshirt junior right fielder Logan Amiss went 2-for-3 with a double, a walk and RBI.
• Redshirt sophomore third baseman Tyler Locklear went 2-for-3 with a walk and a run.
• Redshirt sophomore left fielder Scottie O'Bryan went 1-for-4 with a walk and scored a pair of runs, while freshman center fielder Jesse Robinson collected a pair of hits.
• VCU outhit VMI 12-7, committed no errors defensively, and issued just one walk.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Nippolt hit a double off the wall in the first, then advanced to third on Locklear's single to left. After Amiss was hit by a pitch to load the bases, redshirt sophomore designated hitter Will Carlone's RBI fielder's choice scored Nippolt to put the Rams on the board first.
• The Keydets tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the third on a bizzare play. After Jed Barrett hit a leadoff triple, Locklear caught a pop-up in foul territory to retire Justin Nase, but stepped out of bounds, allowing Barrett to score.
• Nippolt led off with a base hit in the sixth, and advanced to second on Locklear's walk. Amiss then ripped a double off the wall in right to score Nippolt and give VCU the lead back at 2-1.
• The Rams broke out for a trio of runs in the seventh to push the lead to 5-1. O'Bryan led off with a single up the middle, stole second, and advanced to third on a wild pitch. After redshirt junior first baseman Michael Haydak walked, Nippolt delivered a single to center to score O'Bryan. A bobbled ball in center field pushed Nippolt and Haydak up to second and third, respectively, and Haydak scored on a second wild pitch.
• Locklear was hit by a pitch and Amiss walked to load the bases, and after Carlone reached on a fielder's choice, sophomore shortstop Connor Hujsak singled to left to score Locklear.
• O'Bryan led off the eighth with a walk, then moved to second on Robinson's single. After a Haydak sacrifice bunt, an RBI groundout from Nippolt scored O'Bryan to make it 6-1.
• VMI cut the lead to 6-4 with a three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth, but with the tying run at the plate, Wilson got back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning. He then struck out the side in the ninth to give VCU the win.

 
NOTABLE

• VCU has outscored its opponents 29-6 in the first inning of games this season. The Rams are 10-5 when scoring in the first inning, and 12-6 when scoring first.
• The Rams are 7-3 against teams from the state of Virginia.
• Locklear extended his reached base streak to 14 straight games, and his hits in four consecutive contests. Haydak has reached base in 11 straight.

 
UP NEXT
The Rams play their cross-town rivals Richmond in a three-game Atlantic 10 series at Pitt Field on Richmond's campus from April 15-17. The games will be streamed on ESPN+.