Final Score: VCU 4, Coastal Carolina 2
Winning Pitcher: Zachary Peters (1-0)
Losing Pitcher: Will Smith (1-1)
Save: Brendan Erka (1)
Location: Conway, S.C. (Spring Brooks Stadium)
Records: VCU 2-1, Coastal Carolina 2-1
 
The Short Story: Four-plus strong innings of relief from Zachary Peters (first career win), coupled with strong defense and timely hitting gave the Rams a solid win over hosting Coastal Carolina, wrapping up their weekend in Conway, S.C. with back-to-back wins.­
 
LEADING OFF: 

• The Rams scored runs in the second and third innings, but put real distance between themselves and Coastal Carolina with a two-run fifth inning.
• VCU had no fielding errors as the Ram defense was solid, making routine plays look easy over all nine innings.
• Peters came out of the pen to throw 4.2 innings, giving up no runs and only two hits for his first career win.
• Brenden Erka made his first Division I appearance, taking the ball in the ninth to record his first career save.
• Mason Delane made the start and gave VCU 3.1 innings, working in and out of trouble giving up only one run on three hits.
• AJ Mathis set the table all day, going 2-for-5, and scoring two runs in the process.
• The middle of VCU's lineup was a force, with hitters five through eight all getting at least one hit.
• Logan Amiss hit the first home run his 2023 campaign.
• Cooper Benzin went 2-for-4 in the right spot.
• Brandon Eike knocked in two runs on a big RBI single in the fifth.

HOW IT HAPPENED: 

• Coastal got on the board first, scoring in the first inning on a wild pitch that score a Chanticleer from third. It was the only lead that Coastal would have all game.
• In the top of the second, Amiss got the Rams on the board and tied the game when he took an 0-2 pitch into right, smacking the foul pole for his first home run of the season.
• Delane then worked a 1-2-3 second inning, setting VCU up to take the lead in the third.
• Mathis led off the third with a double down the left field line, and with one out Harrison Long stepped into the box. With an 0-2 count and two outs, Mathis having moved over on a William Bean fly out to right, Long smacked aa single to right center to score Mathis and put VCU up 2-1.
• Peters took the bump in the bottom of the fourth inning, entering the game with one out and a runner on second. With Coastal threatening, Peters dug in and got himself in the game, getting a pair of Chanticleers to pop up to the pitcher and first base to end the threat and maintain the VCU lead.
• In the fifth, the Rams pulled away from Coastal with a solid inning of work, and it was once again started by Mathis who led off the inning with a single through the right side.
• Long reached on a fielding error and Amiss walked to bring Eike to the plate with two outs. He took an 0-1 pitch right back up the middle to score Long and Mathis to put VCU up 4-1.
• From there Peters took over, sitting down the Coastal batters in order in the seventh and the eighth as he got stronger each inning he worked.
• In the ninth, after a Coastal triple off Jack Goleski, Erka took the mound with the potential tying run eyeing a possible at-bat.
• Erka dug in, and after getting the first out on a strikeout, he got the second out on a ground out. The ground out scored a Coastal run but ended any threat they had on the bases. And with a ground out to Bean at short, the Rams locked up their 4-2 win and Erka recorded the first save of his career.

UP NEXT: VCU returns to Richmond, Va. for their home opening weekend when over the weekend of Feb. 24-26, they welcome Sacred Heart to The Diamond. All three games will be streamed on ESPN+.