Final Score: Middle Tennessee 14, VCU 8
Winning Pitcher: Jaden Hamm (1-0)
Losing Pitcher: Campbell Ellis (0-1)
Location: Conway, S.C. (Spring Brooks Stadium)
Records: VCU 0-1, Middle Tennessee 1-0
 
The Short Story: Despite putting up six runs in the ninth, thanks to a pair of home runs, and 2.2 innings of scoreless work from graduate Justin Walton, VCU dropped its season opener to Middle Tennessee in the first game of the weekend.
 
LEADING OFF: 

• Justin Walton tossed 2.2 scoreless innings out of the pen, striking out five and without giving up a walk.
• William Bean, in his Division I debut, finished 3-for-5 with three RBIs. Bean also smacked a three-run home run in the ninth.
• Harrison Long opened his Division I career going 2-for-5 with two RBIs and one home run.
• Will Carlone extended his hitting streak, going back to 2022, to 12 games with a two-run home run in the ninth.
• Campbell Ellis started the game and went 3.1, giving up six earned runs while striking out two.
• Both Logan Amiss and Cooper Benzin had a pair of hits, with Benzin adding an RBI.

HOW IT HAPPENED: 

• After a scoreless first inning Middle Tennessee got on the board first, scoring four runs in the fourth inning, powered by a two-run home run to left.
• The Blue Raiders added to their lead in the fourth with another four runs on five hits.
• Middle Tennessee added another four in the top of the sixth inning. Again powered by a two-run home run.
• During that sixth inning, Walton took the mound and would hold the Blue Raiders scoreless over two-plus innings of work. Including a pair of strikeouts in both the seventh and eighth.
• In the bottom of the sixth the Rams got on the board. After a Bean single, Long stepped into the box and on the first pitch he saw, Long deposited the ball 413 feet to left field to give VCU its first runs of the season.
• In the ninth, inning Middle Tennessee added another two runs on a two-run home run that barely made it over the fence. But in the bottom half of the inning the Rams did damage.
• After a double by Casey Gibbs the Rams were down to their final out but would not lay down. Gibbs scored on a Benzin double to right center that banged off the wall.
• Scottie O'Bryan reached on a field error and with two runners on Bean went 430-feet to left to score three runs and add to VCU's runs total.
• Long singled up the middle to bring up Carlone who took the Middle Tennessee pitcher 446-feet to left for a two-run shot.
• Carlone's two-run home run would be the final runs for VCU as the final out was recorded on a pop-up to the catcher to end the game and give Middle Tennessee the 14-8 win.

UP NEXT: VCU remains in Conway as they return to the diamond tomorrow, Feb. 18, for an 11 a.m. first pitch against Fairfield.