WASHINGTON –  VCU got five hits from Matt Davis and a complete game shutout by Jo Jo Howie as the fifth-seeded Rams upended fourth-seeded Davidson 11-0 on Wednesday afternoon in the opening day of the 2015 Atlantic 10 Conference Baseball Championship being held at George Washington’s Tucker Field at Barcroft Park.

VCU (34-22) advances to Thursday’s 1:30 p.m. game where it will take on top-seed Saint Louis. Davidson (26-21) will play at 8:30 p.m. on Thursday against an opponent to be determined.

Davis got things going for the Rams in the bottom half of the first inning when he connected for a two-out homerun to put the Rams up 1-0.

With two outs and VCU up 2-0 in the third inning, the Rams got a single from Davis and a walk from Vima Machin before Darian Carpenter hit a three-run homerun to put VCU up 5-0.

VCU tacked on three more runs in the next inning to go up 8-0, including a two RBI single by Davis.

Davis finished the game 5-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored. His five hits ties and A-10 Championship record with five others, the last being Saint Louis’ Alex Kelly who had five hits against Richmond in 2013.

Howie improved to 7-6 on the season with the complete game win. The southpaw tossed 118 pitches in going the distance, allowing just five hits and striking out nine.

Clark Beeker took the loss for Davidson after surrendering 10 runs, just four of which were earned.