Game One: Rhode Island 15, VCU 11
Game Two: Rhode Island 5, VCU 1
Location: Richmond, Va. (The Diamond)
Records: VCU 4-15 (0-3 A-10), Rhode Island 11-8 (3-0 A-10)
 
THE SHORT STORY: Despite a pair of home runs and two big innings, including a six-run ninth frame, VCU fell short of completing its rally in the opening contest. Rhode Island regained momentum in the evening game, holding the host Rams to just one run, completing their conference-opening weekend sweep.
 
LEADING OFF:

• Nick Flores led off the scoring for VCU in each game with a home run, knocking his second and third of the season, while collecting four RBI in the first contest
• Seth Werchan tallied his 100^th career hit with a single in the opening game
• Adrian Jimenez scored a pair of runs in a two-hit first game
• Closing in the first contest, Michael Walsh tossed 1.1 scoreless innings and notched two strikeouts
• Miles Garrett had another strong outing, not allowing an earned run in his second consecutive appearance
• With one in each game, Danny Estrada had his first two hits as a Ram and notched an RBI
• VCU committed six errors across the two games

 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Game One

• Cade Dressler struggled in the opening innings of the doubleheader, giving up eight runs on just four hits to the visitors
• Casey Kleinman got VCU's first hit in the third, belting a single up the middle
• Max Moore contributed a pair of scoreless frames in the fourth and fifth innings
• Flores' first home run of the afternoon got one back for VCU with two out in the fourth inning
• Kleinman worked back from a 1-2 count, fouling off a pair and drawing a walk to open VCU's first big inning in the fourth
• Jimenez moved the line, belting a double down the left-field line to put a pair in scoring position before Werchan, Lee and Henson had back-to-back RBI on a sacrifice hit, single and home run, respectively
• Rhode Island fired back with a big inning of its own in the sixth, scoring four and adding three more in the top of eight for a 15-5 lead
• VCU tried to claw its way out of the hole in the final half-inning, batting around the lineup and managing a huge six-run performance including on an RBI single from Estrada and a bases-clearing double by Flores, but fell short

 
Game Two

• Flores opened the scoring in the nightcap with his second home run of the day, sending a solo shot to left field
• Garrett carried his scoreless outing into the fourth inning, giving up just one earned run and three hits to Rhode Island in 4.0 innings
• Rhode Island's bullpen was outstanding, managing to hold VCU off in the final four innings, while the offense scattered four more runs
• URI took a 3-0 weekend, while VCU fell to 0-3 to open its A-10 schedule

 
UP NEXT:
VCU will take to the road for a midweek game against Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., on Tuesday, March 18.