Score: No. 12 Virginia 12, VCU 6
Location: Richmond, Va. (Davenport Field at Disharoon Park)
Records: VCU 25-18, No. 12 Virginia 34-12
 
The short story: Virginia scored eight runs across the sixth and seventh innings to snap the Rams' three-game win streak against the Cavaliers in a midweek contest of Interstate 64 rivals.
 
FIRST PITCH

• Redshirt junior left fielder AJ Mathis had his best game in a VCU uniform, going 3-for-4 with a double, a walk, a stolen base, a run, and an RBI in addition to two outstanding catches in left field.
• Sophomore shortstop Connor Hujsak went 3-for-5 with a stolen base and an RBI.
• Redshirt sophomore first baseman Tyler Locklear collected a pair of extra-base hits, going 2-for-4 with a double, his first triple of the year, a walk, and two runs.
• Freshman righty Chase Hungate threw 3.0 scoreless innings with a strikeout, scattering two hits and a walk.
• Paul Kosanovich earned the win on the mound for Virginia, throwing 3.0 scoreless innings of relief. Casey Saucke led the Cavaliers offensively, going 3-for-5 with two doubles, a homer, three runs, and three RBIs.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Heads-up base running put a pair of runs on the board for VCU in the top of the second to open the scoring. After redshirt sophomore center fielder Scottie O'Bryan reached on a fielder's choice, he moved to third on a failed pickoff attempt. Freshman second baseman Marcus O'Malley walked behind him, then the duo executed a double steal to put the Rams up 1-0. Redshirt freshman catcher Brendan Roney walked ahead of redshirt sophomore third baseman Ben Nippolt, who lined an RBI single to right, scoring O'Malley, who slid under a tag at home, making it 2-0.
• Virginia responded with four runs in the bottom of the second, using back-to-back doubles and a passed ball to take a 4-2 lead.
• Back-to-back doubles from redshirt sophomore designated hitter Will Carlone and Mathis in the top of the third cut the Cavaliers' advantage to 4-3. Mathis moved to third on O'Bryan's single, then scored on a perfectly-placed safety squeeze bunt from O'Malley to tie the game at 4-4.
• The Rams retook the lead at 5-4 in the top of the fourth as Locklear smacked a triple off the right field wall, then scored on an RBI groundout from redshirt junior right fielder Logan Amiss.
• Hungate recorded his second straight scoreless inning in the bottom of the fourth, inducing a crisp 5-4-3 double play from the Rams defense, then stranding a runner on third with a swinging strikeout of Alex Tappen.
• Mathis recorded the first two outs of a scoreless bottom of the fifth, making a diving catch in left, then a leaping grab at the wall.
• Virginia retook the lead at 6-5 in the bottom of the sixth with an RBI groundout and an RBI single.
• The Cavaliers pulled away with six insurance runs in the seventh, extending the lead to 12-5.
• VCU pulled a run back in the top of the ninth, when Hujsak singled through the left side to score Locklear, who had doubled to lead off the inning.

 
NOTABLE

• Sophomore right-hander Justin Humenay got his first career start on the mound, throwing a scoreless first inning. Roney also earned his first collegiate start.
• VCU stole five bases, the most since the Rams stole six in an 8-2 win over Quinnipiac on March 18. O'Bryan swiped two bags for the second time this season.
• Hungate has thrown 5.1 consecutive innings of relief without allowing a run.
• Redshirt junior lefty Joey Perkins threw a season-high 1.1 innings of scoreless relief with a strikeout.
• Locklear has reached base in 26 straight games, the longest streak by a Ram this season. He also leads VCU with 45 runs, 51 hits, 17 doubles, 30 walks, and 15 multi-hit games in 2022.

 
UP NEXT
VCU hosts George Washington for a three-game Atlantic 10 series this weekend at The Diamond from May 6-8. The games will be streamed on ESPN+ and tickets can be purchased here.