Final Score: VCU 25, South Florida 15
Winning Pitcher: Campbell Ellis (2-2)
Losing Pitcher: Justin Jackson (0-1)
Location: Tampa, Fla. (USF Baseball Stadium)
Records: VCU 12-12, South Florida 9-16
 
The Short Story: The Ram bats came to play at South Florida, going off in the final game of the weekend series for 25 runs on 24 hits powered by four home runs, three doubles and seven stolen bases to give VCU Baseball the series win and their eighth win in the last 10 games.
 
LEADING OFF: 

• The 25 runs are the most scored for VCU since scoring 26 runs against UMass on May 13, 2022.
• VCU's 24 hits are the most recorded since getting the same amount against UMass on May 14, 2022.
• Either VCU or USF scored at least one run in each inning during the game.
• Every Ram in the lineup got at least one hit during the game, with eight Rams getting at least two hits.
• VCU's seven stolen bases are the most for the Rams since stealing six against George Washington on May 7, 2022.
• The Rams smashed four home runs, the most since hitting three at No. 13 North Carolina on Feb. 24.
• VCU batters were hit five times, the most since Longwood hit three batters on Mar. 21.
• Brandon Eike led the day for VCU going 5-for-7 with one home run, seven RBIs and one triple.
• Eike becomes the first Ram to get at least five hits in a game since Tyler Locklear recorded five hits at UMass (May 14, 2022).
• Eike had career highs in hits, RBIs and runs scored.
• The seven RBIs collected by Eike are the most by a Ram since Will Carlone knocked in seven vs. Richmond on May 28, 2022.
• AJ Mathis again set the table, reaching base five times going 2-for-4, scoring five runs, knocking in one run and stealing four bases.
• Mathis' four stolen bases are the most by a Ram since Connor Hujsak swiped four vs. George Washington on May 7, 2022 and they are a career-high for the VCU centerfielder.
• William Bean had a strong day at the dish, going 4-for-6 with one home run, four RBIs and he scored two runs.
• Bean's four hits and four RBIs were both career highs.
• Logan Amiss went 2-for-5, reaching base four times on two hit by pitches. Amiss also smashed a home run and knocked in three runs.
• Nic Ericsson had a career-high in doubles, hitting two while going 3-for-6 with three runs scored.
• Will Carlone went 3-for-6 with two RBIs, scoring four runs and hitting a home run.
• Mathis, Cooper Benzin, Carlone, Eike, Jake Thilges, Bean, Amiss and Ericsson all had at least two hits in the game.
• Delane Mason got the start, going 3.1 innings, and striking out three Bulls.
• Campbell Ellis, who got his second win of the season, went a strong 4.2 innings out of the pen, striking out three USF batters.
• Evan Bert finished the game with one inning of work, giving up two hits and striking out one.

HOW IT HAPPENED: 

• VCU opened the game with three runs in the opening frame, powered by an Eike triple to right center, scoring two runs and giving VCU a 3-0 lead.
• In one of the few innings where no runs were scored, Delane shut down the Bulls in order to keep it at 3-0.
• In the second, the Bulls got on the board with a solo home run to make it 3-1.
• The Rams added another five runs in the third. In the frame Amiss had the big blow smashing a three-run home run to right field and when the inning was over the Rams had an 8-1 lead.
• Four runs by USF in the third pulled them within three runs to make it 8-5.
• Carlone led off the fourth with a solo home run to right center to extend VCU's lead to 9-5.
• USF made things interesting in the fourth, scoring four runs to tie things up at 9-9, the big blow coming off the bat of Eric Snow's three-run home run.
• In what quickly became a heavyweight fight with both teams trading blows throughout the Rams answered right back in the fifth.
• Batting around, Ericsson led things off with a double and after four straight base hit RBIs from Benzin, Carlone and Eike the Rams were up 14-9.
• USF added one more in the fifth to get within four runs of the Rams. But during the frame, the Rams flashed the leather, turning an inning-ending double play to shut down the USF threat.
• Entering the sixth, things were still tight with the score at 14-10 but the Rams again had the answer.
• With two Ram runners in scoring position (Ethan Brooks and Mathis) Benzin came through with the big hit in the frame, knocking in both runners with a single to center field to make it 16-10.
• South Florida scored four in the sixth, to get within 16-14. But from there the Rams pitching buckled down. In the seventh and eighth innings the Rams kept the Bulls off the board behind Ellis' strong pitching.
• The two scoreless frames allowed VCU to pull ahead as they scored nine runs over the final frames to put an exclamation point on the game.
• In the seventh, Bean deposited the first pitch he saw to right center to make it 17-14.
• It was in the eighth inning were VCU put the final touches on the win, powered by a two-out three-run no-doubter hit to left field by Eike.
• The Rams added five more in the ninth to polish off the win, with Eike again getting the big hit knocking in two runs with a single before Bean followed him up with another two RBI single to center.
• A solo home run from USF in the bottom of the ninth made it 25-15, but that would be all the Bulls would get in the frame as Bert got the final three outs to lock up the VCU series win.

UP NEXT: VCU returns home for a midweek matchup with Norfolk State on Tues., Mar. 28 at 6 p.m. The Rams then open up Atlantic 10 play with a weekend matchup at The Diamond against St. Bonaventure, with that series running from Mar. 31 to Apr. 2. All games are broadcast on ESPN+.