Score: VCU 15, George Mason 5
Location: Fairfax, Va. (Spuhler Field)
Records: VCU 15-11 (2-1 Atlantic 10), George Mason 9-17 (1-2 A-10)
 
The short story: VCU exploded for a season-high 19 hits to beat the Patriots in emphatic fashion and win the first conference series of the year. 
 
FIRST PITCH

• Redshirt sophomore infielder Ben Nippolt notched several career highs, going 4-for-5 with a double, a triple, a walk, four runs and two RBIs.
• Sophomore left-hander Campbell Ellis started on the mound and delivered 4.0 scoreless innings with three strikeouts.
• Redshirt sophomore left fielder Cooper Benzin went 2-for-5 with a double, his first career triple, two runs and two RBIs.
• Sophomore shortstop Connor Hujsak went 1-for-4 with two hit-by-pitches, a season-high two stolen bases, two runs, and two RBIs.
• VCU has won 12 of its last 15 games, and holds a 6-2 record against teams from the state of Virginia.
• Sophomore designated hitter Devan Barnett, freshman catcher Casey Gibbs, and freshman center fielder Jesse Robinson each collected two hits.
• Graduate catcher Jacob Selden had a pair of RBIs, while redshirt junior right fielder Logan Amiss scored a pair of runs.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Amiss opened the scoring in the first, reaching on a fielder's choice and making his way around the bases on redshirt sophomore third baseman Tyler Locklear's infield single and a pair of Mason throwing errors.
• Nippolt led off the second with a double down the right field line, advanced to third on a wild pitch, then doubled VCU's advantage to 2-0 on Selden's RBI groundout.
• A day after making a diving catch in center, Robinson made another outstanding play in the bottom of the second, running full speed into the wall and still holding on to a flyout.
• The Rams scored a trio of runs in the third to extend the lead to 5-0. Redshirt sophomore designated hitter Will Carlone led off with a walk, then scored on Benzin's RBI triple. Nippolt then singled to drive in Benzin, and after advancing to second on a bobbled ball in the outfield, scored on Robinson's RBI infield single.
• VCU continued to capitalize on Patriot errors in the fourth, with Hujsak reaching on a fielding error on a ball to the shortstop, then scoring on a throwing error as Benzin reached on a fielder's choice to push the lead to 6-0. A Nippolt RBI triple and a Selden RBI single extended the advantage to 8-0.
• The Rams put a zero on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth when Selden threw out a runner trying to steal third, and a 6-4-3 double play ended the inning.
• VCU put up a crooked number in the sixth, with an Amiss RBI walk, a Locklear sacrifice fly, a Hujsak two-run single, and a Benzin RBI double pushing the lead to 13-0.
• After the Patriots got on the board with a two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth, O'Malley and Barnett added RBI singles in the top of the seventh to restore the 13-run lead at 15-2.

 
NOTABLE

• The Rams issued just one walk in the game.
• Haydak has leadoff hits in three straight, and four out of the past five games, but has reached base from the leadoff spot in all five.
• Haydak and Locklear extended their respective hit streaks to six games.
• Benzin has reached base in 15 straight games.
• Nippolt put together multi-hit games two days in a row.
• Carlone drew a career-high three walks.
• Robinson recorded his first collegiate multi-hit game, while Selden had his first multi-RBI game as a Ram.
• Gibbs recorded his first collegiate extra-base hit with a double in the seventh.

 
UP NEXT
The Rams return to The Diamond for a midweek contest against VMI Tuesday, April 5 at 2 p.m. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ and tickets can be purchased here.