Final Score: Sacred Heart 11, VCU 10
Winning Pitcher: Michael Boyian (1-0)
Save: David Aufiero (1)
Losing Pitcher: Mason Delane (0-1)
Location: Richmond, Va. (The Diamond)
Records: VCU 2-4, Sacred Heart 3-3
 
The Short Story: The Rams mounted a late comeback, scoring two runs in the bottom of the ninth, but the Sacred Heart pitching staff ended the Ram rally just one run short of tying it up as VCU dropped the final game of its home opening weekend series.
 
LEADING OFF: 

• VCU got four shutdown innings from junior Justin Humenay. The Ram pitcher struck out seven batters, giving up no runs and no hits in his first action of the 2023 season.
• The Rams got five hits from their two-through-four hitters, with Cooper Benzin going 2-for-5, William Bean going 1-for-3 and Will Carlone going 2-for-5.
• Brandon Eike had a solid day at the dish, recording a 3-for-5 day at the plate, knocking in two runs.
• In his first start of 2023, Griffin Boone went 2-for-4 with one RBI.
• Every Ram batter reached base safely at least once in the game.
• Carlone extended his hitting streak to 17 games.
• Benzin is riding a six-game hitting streak

HOW IT HAPPENED: 

• Sacred Heart opened the game with four runs in the first inning. But the Rams answered, scoring on a fielder's choice when Bean reached and AJ Mathis scampered across the plate after reaching on a walk and moving over on a Benzin single.
• The second inning saw a combined five runs scored between the two sides, with Sacred Heart plating two in the top half of the frame.
• VCU would get three runs in the bottom half of the second, beginning with a Eike single up the middle. Logan Amiss singled past second and Boone knocked in Eike on a single to center.
• Nic Ericsson then recorded his first hit of 2023, smacking a double to left that scoffed Amiss and advanced Boone to third.
• With just one out, Benzin knocked in Boone on a ground out to third and after two frames the Rams trailed 6-4.
• Sacred Heart added one more in the top of the third to make it 7-4. The score would stay that way until the fifth inning when both sides would again get the bats going.
• The Pioneers padded their lead with four runs in the fifth inning. But it would be the final runs that Sacred Heart would score in the game.
• In the bottom half of the fifth, VCU answered with three of their own. Benzin got it started with a single past the shortstop and he advanced on a wild pitch.
• Bean then drew a walk and with runners on first and second, Carlone smacked a single to right that scored Benzin and advanced Bean.
• With one out, and two runners on, Eike continued his hot bat smacking a single to left center that scored Carlone and moved Brooks to third. Amiss then scored Brooks on a sacrifice fly to right and after five innings the Pioneers held a 11-7 lead.
• Humenay then took the mound and over the next four innings he held the Pioneers both hitless and scoreless, striking out seven Sacred Heart hitters along the way. Humenay's performance allowed VCU to stay in the game and battle back over the final four frames.
• In the sixth the Rams added one more run, on a Bean single that scored Mathis (walk) and after six it was 11-8.
• The close score set up a ninth inning that almost saw VCU finish off its comeback.
• Trailing 11-8 Brooks led off the inning with a walk. He then advanced on a balk and up stepped Eike. The Ram third basemen knocked a double to left that scored Brooks and pulled the Rams within two runs at 11-9.
• Eike then advanced, with one out, to third on a wild pitch and he scored on another balk by the Sacred Heart hurler. From there the Pioneers made a pitching change.
• Unfortunately for VCU, the next two batters would make outs to end the comeback attempt and give Sacred Heart the 11-10 win to wrap up the series.

UP NEXT: VCU next heads to Chapel Hill, N.C. to face No. 12 North Carolina on Feb. 28 and Mar. 1 in a rematch of the 2022 Chapel Hill Regional. Both games will be broadcast on ACCNX and both have a scheduled first pitch of 4 p.m.