NCAA Greenville Regional
Score: #16 East Carolina 10, VCU 7
Location: Greenville, N.C. (Clark-LeClair Stadium)
Records: East Carolina 45-16, VCU 38-23
 
The short story: Junior second baseman Casey Kleinman drove in three runs to spark a late VCU rally, but it wasn't enough for the Rams to overcome 16^th-ranked East Carolina in an NCAA Regional elimination game Sunday in Greenville, N.C.
 
LEADING OFF

• Kleinman, the Rams' leadoff man, finished 2-for-5 Sunday to key a 10-hit attack
• Redshirt junior left fielder Jake Thilges went 3-for-4, scored three runs and drove in another for the Black and Gold
• Senior centerfielder Cooper Benzin also reached base twice, scored one run and drove in one for VCU
• ECU first baseman Carter Cunningham homered and drove in a pair for the Pirates 

THE STRETCH

• East Carolina's high-powered offense registered 13 hits, and VCU pitching also issued nine walks
• The Pirates scored in each of the first five innings to build leads of 6-0 and 8-2. Cunningham ripped an RBI single and then added a long solo homer to right field to spur the ECU attack
• VCU chipped away with a two-run single off Kleinman's bat in the fourth, as well as an RBI single and run-scoring groundout by Benzin in the fifth to pull within 8-4
• The Rams mounted their most serious threat in the bottom of the eighth. RBI singles by Kleinman and senior catcher Nic Ericsson trimmed the deficit to 10-6. VCU eventually loaded up the bases with one out, but was unable to inflict any more damage, as East Carolina reliever Danny Beal recorded back-to-back strikeouts
• Sophomore right fielder Aden Hill added an RBI groundout in the ninth, but VCU could get no closer

NEXT UP
VCU's 2024 season is complete. The Rams scored a 13-win improvement over last season and captured the Atlantic 10 Conference Championship, as well as an opening round win over Wake Forest at the NCAA Greenville Regional.