Score: VCU 18, Massachusetts 3
Location: Amherst, Mass. (Earl Lorden Field)
Records: VCU 31-18 (15-5 Atlantic 10), Massachusetts 20-23-1 (7-13 A-10)
 
The short story: VCU had another major offensive output led by Tyler Locklear's 5-for-5 afternoon as the Rams dominated UMass for the second straight game.
 
FIRST PITCH

• VCU has outscored UMass by a combined 44-5 through the first two games of the series
• Redshirt sophomore Tyler Locklear has gone 9-for-9 across his last two games with 11 RBIs. His 5-for-5 performance in this game included a team-high six RBIs and a home run
• Redshirt junior Logan Amiss went 3-for-5 on the afternoon highlighted by a three-run home run in the third inning
• Sophomore Connor Hujsak went 4-for-6 with two RBIs and a double on the day
• Redshirt sophomore Will Carlone went 3-for-5 with three RBIs, a home run and two runs scored
• Redshirt sophomore Cooper Benzin went 3-for-4 with two runs scored
• Redshirt junior AJ Mathis went 2-for-4 and drew two walks
• Redshirt junior Maddison Furman pitched three shutout innings, striking out two and giving up just one walk
• Redshirt sophomore Chase Huntage also pitched three shutout innings with three strikeouts

 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• VCU took a 3-0 lead after the first inning that including an RBI single from Hujsak, AJ Mathis earning a walk with the bases loaded and a RBI from Carlone who hit into a double play
• The Rams got an RBI double from Locklear in the second inning followed by a double from Husjak to push the VCU lead to 6-0 after the second inning
• The Rams exploded for a six-run third inning that was capped off with Amiss' three-run home run to make it 12-0 in favor of VCU
• Carlone hit a solo shot in the top of the fourth inning and an RBI single from Locklear scored Marcus O'Malley to make it 14-0 VCU
• The two teams were scoreless through the fifth and sixth innings to hold VCU's lead until Locklear hit a two-run homer in the seventh to make it 16-0. The Rams added two more in the inning to push the lead to 18-0
• The Minutemen were able to push across three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to cut the VCU lead to 18-3 but were held in check for across the final two innings

NOTABLE

• Locklear's 13 home runs so far this season mean that he holds two of the top five spots for home runs in a single season in his career. He is now tied for third all-time at VCU with 30 career home runs

 
UP NEXT
The Rams will look for the series sweep of the Minutemen on Sunday, May 15 at noon from Earl Lorden Field. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.