Score: No. 2 VCU 8, No. 6 Saint Joseph's 4 (Atlantic 10 Championship Winner's Bracket)
Location: Davidson, N.C. (Wilson Field)
Records: VCU 38-18, Saint Joseph's 29-24
 
The short story: The Rams belted three home runs as they clinched a spot in Friday's Atlantic 10 Championship semifinals.
 
FIRST PITCH

• VCU has won 13 games in a row, 21 of its last 24 contests, and is 35-10 since March 8.
• Redshirt sophomore first baseman Tyler Locklear had a 2-for-3 day with a home run, a double, a walk, a hit-by-pitch, two runs, and two RBIs.
• Redshirt sophomore third baseman Ben Nippolt hit his second homer of the year and tallied three RBIs, while sophomore shortstop Connor Hujsak notched his eighth round-tripper of the season to drive in a pair of runs.
• Redshirt junior left-hander Maddison Furman did not allow a run in a career-high 5.0 innings, scattering four hits without issuing a walk.
• Redshirt junior center fielder AJ Mathis went 3-for-5 with a double and a run, while redshirt junior right fielder Logan Amiss had a 2-for-5 day, scoring a run and notching an RBI.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Locklear got the Rams on the board six pitches into the game, crushing a solo home run to deep center field.
• VCU broke the game open with five runs in the top of the fourth. Locklear led off the frame with a double to right center, then scored on an RBI single from Amiss. Hujsak followed by roping a two-run shot over the left field fence to double the lead at 4-0. An RBI walk from Nippolt and an RBI hit-by-pitch from Locklear rounded out the scoring, pushing the lead to 6-0.
• Furman closed out his fifth scoreless inning by inducing a 1-6-3 double play.
• The Hawks cut into the VCU lead with runs in the sixth and seventh innings, making it 6-2.
• After Selden led off with a single, Nippolt gave the Rams insurance in the top of the eighth, blasting a two-run homer to right to extend the VCU lead to 8-2.

 
LOCKLEAR RECORD WATCH

• Locklear's first inning home run was the 34th of his career and 17th of the season, both of which are the second-most in VCU history.
• His 71 RBIs rank third for a single season in program history.
• His 68 runs and 23 doubles are both tied for fifth in a single season all-time at VCU.

 
NOTABLE

• Hujsak's eight homers in 2022 are a career high, and give him 15 for his career.
• Mathis's three hits tied a season high.
• Redshirt sophomore left fielder Cooper Benzin laid down his 14th sacrifice bunt of the season, the most in the A-10 and in the top 10 for Division I.
• Locklear also leads the Rams with 79 hits, 39 walks, 21 hit-by-pitches, 17 multi-RBI games, and 24 multi-hit games. He has a six-game hitting streak, and has reached base in 39 straight contests.

 
UP NEXT
VCU faces Davidson in the A-10 semifinals Friday, May 27 at noon from Wilson Field. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ and admission is free. The winner of the Rams-Wildcats clash advances to Saturday's championship game with no losses.