Score: VCU 8, Liberty 7
Location: Lynchburg, Va. (Worthington Field at Liberty Baseball)
Winning Pitcher: Zachary Peters (2-2)
Losing Pitcher: Bryce Dolby (0-3)
Save: Owen Tappy (2)
Records: VCU 15-6, Liberty 8-12
 
The short story: Using a four-run eighth inning and solid defense throughout VCU Baseball came back to take down Liberty for an exciting midweek road win, locking up the Rams' first road win in the past three true road games.

LEADING OFF

• The Rams, who trailed as much as three runs, scored seven runs from the sixth to eighth innings to comeback for the win, while holding the Flames to just three runs over that stretch
• With one out in the bottom of the ninth and the tying runner on third, senior shortstop William Bean made the game saving play, throwing out the Liberty runner at home on a fielder's choice that preserved VCU's lead
• Junior Casey Kleinman led the Rams off going 2-for-5 with one run scored
• Graduate Ethan Iannuzzi had a solid day at the dish, going 2-for-4 with two runs scored, one double and one RBI
• Sophomore Brian Curley gave the Rams three strong inning through the heart of the game, giving up just one run on five hits while striking out five
• Owen Tappy battled over two frames, striking out a pair while just walking one on his way to earning the save
• Liberty's Kane Kepley led off and had the best day at the plate for the Flames, going 3-for-3 while Aidan Sweatt also had a multi-hit day going 2-for-4

THE STRETCH

• Both teams traded runs in the first inning and the Flams would add one run in the second, third and fourth innings to take a 4-1 lead after five frames. But the combination of senior Nick Cosentino and Curley kept any crooked numbers off the board to keep VCU within striking distance
• In the sixth the Rams struck, scoring two runs with the damage being down by junior Anderson Fulk's RBI single up the middle that scored sophomore Aden Hill. In the seventh, with the bases loaded full of Rams, redshirt junior Griffin Boone took one off his elbow to knock in the tying run, making it 4-4
• In the eighth the Rams worked itself into the lead. Senior Nic Ericsson led off with a walk and Kleinman followed that up with a single to right, Eike's walk loaded up the bases
• With the pads full of Rams, redshirt junior Jake Thilges put the ball in play and knocked in the tying run when Liberty's third basemen misplayed the ball, committing and error
• Iannuzzi then popped a single through the left side to score Kleinman, Hill drew a walk to score Eike and Bean grounded out to bring home Thilges, allowing for the Rams to catch and pass Liberty in the frame
• With VCU holding an 8-5 lead there was still work to be done with six outs left to get
• Liberty scored a pair in the bottom of the eighth to set up a ninth inning showdown
• A leadoff double put a Flame runner on second and a fly out moved him to third, setting up Bean's big throw home that would get the Flame runner and keep it at 8-7
• Tappy then battled, before striking out the final Liberty batter, leaving the bases full of Flames and giving VCU a big 8-7 win

NOTABLE

• VCU has now won four-out-of-its last five games and they are 8-2 over the last 10 games

NEXT UP
VCU next heads west to Cincinnati, Ohio for a weekend set against reigning Big East champion Xavier, with that scheduled to run over the weekend of Mar. 22-24.