RICHMOND, Va. – Top-seeded VCU scored eight runs in the first two innings in an offensive explosion that led to an 15-4 win over No. 4 Saint Joseph's in the first game of the 2021 Atlantic 10 Baseball Championship at The Diamond.
 
The win was the 19^th straight for the Rams, the longest active streak in the country. They advance in the winner's bracket to face the winner of No. 2 Dayton/No. 3 Rhode Island Friday. Saint Joseph's will play the loser of the UD-URI matchup in an elimination game Thursday evening.
 
Liam Hibbits started the VCU scoring in the bottom of the first with a two-out single. Brandon Henson reached on a dropped third strike and Jack Schroeder hit a single up the middle to plate Hibbits. With Henson and Schroeder on base, Hunter Vay went yard to clear the bases and put VCU up 4-0.
 
Schroeder had his second RBI single in the bottom of the second, scoring Steven Carpenter, Tyler Locklear and Hibbits, who reached on a walk, catcher's interference and an error respectively. Vay then grounded out to score Schroeder.
 
The Hawks got four runs back in the third, starting with a sac fly by Andrew Cossetti that scored Ryan Picollo. A Liam Bendo single plated Brendan Hueth and a Brett Callahan single scored Luca Trigiani. Langston Livingston added an RBI single to score Bendo for the fourth run.
 
VCU added seven runs over the next four innings while holding SJU scoreless to secure the win. Vay led the Rams with a 4-for-5 performance with four RBI, while Schroeder went 3-for-5 with four RBI.
 
Mason Delane earned the win for VCU, throwing 5.0 innings, allowing seven hits, four runs with two walks and two strikeouts.
 
Ian McCole took the loss, throwing 2.0 innings with five hits, eight runs (four earned) with four strikeouts and one walk.
 
Trigani (2-for-5), Picolo (2-for-3) and Brandon Drapeau (2-for-4) all had two hits to lead the Hawks.