Score: VCU 3, Illinois 2
Location: Conway, S.C. (Springs Brooks Stadium)
Records: VCU 4-2, Illinois 2-4
 
VCU never relinquished its early lead over Illinois, carrying a shutout into the seventh inning to take its first win of the weekend in Conway, S.C., by a score of 3-2. Two late runs scored for the Illini, but Dawson Newman faced the minimum in the final two frames for the save.
 
LEADING OFF:

• For the third time in six games, VCU's pitching staff allowed three or fewer hits by an opponent
• Patrick Steitz opened with five scoreless innings, allowing just three hits and fanning five Illini
• Newman, a Coastal Carolina transfer, earned his first collegiate save in his former home ballpark
• Trent Adelman hit his third double of the weekend, notching an RBI and extending his hitting streak to five games
• Jacob Lee and Nate Kirkpatrick also raised their hitting streaks to five games
• Newman's save was the Rams' first of the season

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• VCU opened the game in the second inning with Adelman's RBI double followed by a sacrifice bunt from freshman outfielder Brendan Horne to drive the Rams to a 2-0 lead
• In the third frame, Michael Petite came around to extend VCU's lead to 3-0
• To end the third inning with the shutout intact, Kirkpatrick's heroics at the hot corner stranded a pair in scoring position
• Steitz extended through the fifth inning and Everett Vaughan tossed a scoreless sixth
• The Illini threatened in the seventh inning, cutting the VCU lead to just one with a pair of runs on RBI walks from Jack Zebig and Daniel Contreras
• Newman entered the game with the bases loaded in the seventh, limiting the damage to one inherited run and closed the game with two spotless innings to secure the victory, 3-2

 
UP NEXT
The Rams will conclude the Baseball at the Beach weekend against host No. 6 Coastal Carolina tomorrow, Sunday, Feb. 22, at 4 PM in Springs Brooks Stadium. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.