As has been the case often this VCU season, Brandon Eike ignited the Rams.
The Atlantic 10 player of the year homered twice in the first four innings as the Rams whacked the University of Richmond 13-7 on Friday in the A-10 tournament at Capital One Park in Tysons. VCU blasted five homers, exclamation points in a 15-hit attack. The Rams led 13-1 before UR scored six runs in the ninth inning.
This was a showdown involving the only two unbeatens remaining in the seven-team, double-elimination tournament. Second-seeded VCU (36-21), which led 8-0 in the fourth inning, advanced to Saturday’s noon championship game. VCU will seek its fourth A-10 title.
People are also reading…
The Rams captured A-10 championships in 2015, 2021 and 2022. In program history, they have made 13 NCAA tournament appearances.
Fourth-seeded UR (26-31) dropped into the losers bracket and faced another game Friday night, looking for a second shot, and perhaps a third crack, at VCU as the tournament unfolds. The Spiders haven’t been to the NCAA tournament since they won the 2003 A-10 championship.
Powhatan's pro prospect Eike leads VCU baseball into vital A-10 clash with rival Richmond
Eike, a senior third baseman from Powhatan High who transferred to VCU from North Carolina, made it 3-0 with a bases-empty homer in the first inning before the Spiders recorded an out. Freshman first baseman Chris McHugh got the Rams off to a 2-0 lead with a two-run homer.
In the Rams’ two tournament victories leading into Friday’s meeting with UR, Eike went 7 for 8 with a pair of homers. Against the Spiders, he went 2 for 5 and scored three times. Eike has 13 home runs this season.
Ram Eli Weisner homered in the fourth inning, and he also entered Friday’s game with two tournament home runs, including a grand slam in VCU’s 11-3 win over Dayton on Wednesday.
VCU extended the lead over UR to 6-0 in the second inning on a Weisner RBI single and two runs that scored on an error. The Rams made it 8-0 in the fourth inning on back-to-back homers by Eike and Weisner, a graduate student who attended Deep Run High before spending time at Louisburg College and Charlotte.
The Rams’ power punch overshadowed an outstanding start by senior lefty Christian Gordon, who worked seven innings, allowing six hits and one run while striking out six and walking one. Gordon began his college career at Liberty and also pitched at the State College of Florida, before transferring to VCU.
His job on Friday came with a limited level of stress after the Rams grabbed the quick 3-0 lead that grew to 8-0 in the fourth inning.
The Spiders were not required to review the video to recognize who among the Rams did the most damage. The first four batters in the VCU lineup – second baseman Casey Kleinman, McHugh, Eike and Weisner — halfway through the game were 7 for 13 with six RBI and seven runs scored.
The Spiders and Rams closed the regular season with a three-game set at UR. Richmond won the first game, and VCU won the next two, building momentum for its tournament run. VCU has won eight of the past 11 meetings with the Spiders.
The Rams have won eight of nine games heading into Saturday’s championship game.
The Rams celebrated after they beat Dayton to win the Atlantic 10 baseball championship at The Diamond last season.
- ALEXA WELCH EDLUND/TIMES-DISPATCH
The Rams celebrate after they beat Dayton to win the A10 baseball championship at the Diamond Saturday, May 29, 2021.
- ALEXA WELCH EDLUND/TIMES-DISPATCH
The Rams celebrate after they beat Dayton to win the A10 baseball championship at the Diamond Saturday, May 29, 2021. Catcher Hunter Vay hugs pitcher
Campbell Ellis celebrates with his VCU teammates after the Rams beat Dayton for the Atlantic 10 baseball tournament title at The Diamond.
- ALEXA WELCH EDLUND/TIMES-DISPATCH
The Rams celebrate after they beat Dayton to win the A10 baseball championship at the Diamond Saturday, May 29, 2021. Catcher Hunter Vay hugs pitcher
- ALEXA WELCH EDLUND/TIMES-DISPATCH
VCU's Connor Hujsak makes it safely to third base during the A10 baseball championship at the Diamond Saturday, May 29, 2021. Dayton's Riley Tirotta is at third.
- ALEXA WELCH EDLUND/TIMES-DISPATCH
Dayton's Alex Brickman gets VCU's Jack Schroederout at first in the sixth inning during the A10 baseball championship at the Diamond Saturday, May 29, 2021.
- ALEXA WELCH EDLUND/TIMES-DISPATCH
VCU's Liam Hibbits makes it safely back to second base during the A10 baseball championship at the Diamond Saturday, May 29, 2021. Mariano Ricciardi is second baseman for Dayton.
- ALEXA WELCH EDLUND/TIMES-DISPATCH
VCU's Jack Schroeder catches the ball for a Dayton out in the ninth inning during the A10 baseball championship at the Diamond Saturday, May 29, 2021. Teammate Hogan Brown eyes the ball.
- ALEXA WELCH EDLUND/TIMES-DISPATCH
Liam Hibbits and VCU clinched a spot in the NCAA tournament with a win over Dayton in the Atlantic 10 final at The Diamond. The Rams carry a 21-game winning streak into their regional in Starkville, Miss.
- ALEXA WELCH EDLUND/TIMES-DISPATCH
Connor Hujsak and the VCU baseball team, coming off their Atlantic 10 tournament championship last week at The Diamond, are headed to Starkville, Miss., this weekend for regional play in the NCAA tournament.
- ALEXA WELCH EDLUND/TIMES-DISPATCH
VCU's Michael Haydak bats as the Rams play Dayton during the A10 baseball championship at the Diamond Saturday, May 29, 2021.
- ALEXA WELCH EDLUND/TIMES-DISPATCH
VCU's Connor Hujsak moves to avoid a close Dayton pitch during the A10 baseball championship at the Diamond Saturday, May 29, 2021.
- ALEXA WELCH EDLUND/TIMES-DISPATCH
Fans bundle up in the cold as VCU plays Dayton during the A10 baseball championship at the Diamond Saturday, May 29, 2021.
- ALEXA WELCH EDLUND/TIMES-DISPATCH
PHOTOS: VCU A10 Baseball Champs
VCU beats Dayton to win the the A10 Baseball Championship at the Diamond Sat., May 29, 2021.
The Rams celebrated after they beat Dayton to win the Atlantic 10 baseball championship at The Diamond last season.
- ALEXA WELCH EDLUND/TIMES-DISPATCH
The Rams celebrate after they beat Dayton to win the A10 baseball championship at the Diamond Saturday, May 29, 2021.
- ALEXA WELCH EDLUND/TIMES-DISPATCH
The Rams celebrate after they beat Dayton to win the A10 baseball championship at the Diamond Saturday, May 29, 2021. Catcher Hunter Vay hugs pitcher
- ALEXA WELCH EDLUND/TIMES-DISPATCH
Campbell Ellis celebrates with his VCU teammates after the Rams beat Dayton for the Atlantic 10 baseball tournament title at The Diamond.
- ALEXA WELCH EDLUND/TIMES-DISPATCH
The Rams celebrate after they beat Dayton to win the A10 baseball championship at the Diamond Saturday, May 29, 2021. Catcher Hunter Vay hugs pitcher
- ALEXA WELCH EDLUND/TIMES-DISPATCH
VCU's Connor Hujsak makes it safely to third base during the A10 baseball championship at the Diamond Saturday, May 29, 2021. Dayton's Riley Tirotta is at third.
- ALEXA WELCH EDLUND/TIMES-DISPATCH
Dayton's Alex Brickman gets VCU's Jack Schroederout at first in the sixth inning during the A10 baseball championship at the Diamond Saturday, May 29, 2021.
- ALEXA WELCH EDLUND/TIMES-DISPATCH
VCU's Liam Hibbits makes it safely back to second base during the A10 baseball championship at the Diamond Saturday, May 29, 2021. Mariano Ricciardi is second baseman for Dayton.
- ALEXA WELCH EDLUND/TIMES-DISPATCH
VCU's Jack Schroeder catches the ball for a Dayton out in the ninth inning during the A10 baseball championship at the Diamond Saturday, May 29, 2021. Teammate Hogan Brown eyes the ball.
- ALEXA WELCH EDLUND/TIMES-DISPATCH
Liam Hibbits and VCU clinched a spot in the NCAA tournament with a win over Dayton in the Atlantic 10 final at The Diamond. The Rams carry a 21-game winning streak into their regional in Starkville, Miss.
- ALEXA WELCH EDLUND/TIMES-DISPATCH
Connor Hujsak and the VCU baseball team, coming off their Atlantic 10 tournament championship last week at The Diamond, are headed to Starkville, Miss., this weekend for regional play in the NCAA tournament.
- ALEXA WELCH EDLUND/TIMES-DISPATCH
VCU's Michael Haydak bats as the Rams play Dayton during the A10 baseball championship at the Diamond Saturday, May 29, 2021.
- ALEXA WELCH EDLUND/TIMES-DISPATCH
VCU's Connor Hujsak moves to avoid a close Dayton pitch during the A10 baseball championship at the Diamond Saturday, May 29, 2021.
- ALEXA WELCH EDLUND/TIMES-DISPATCH
Fans bundle up in the cold as VCU plays Dayton during the A10 baseball championship at the Diamond Saturday, May 29, 2021.
- ALEXA WELCH EDLUND/TIMES-DISPATCH
John O’Connor (804) 649-6233
joconnor@timesdispatch.com
URVCU gamebug
VCU 13, RICHMOND 7
Atlantic 10 baseball
tournament semifinals
Sunday's final: VCU vs. UR
or Saint Joseph's, noon
0 Comments
'); var s = document.createElement('script'); s.setAttribute('src', 'https://assets.revcontent.com/master/delivery.js'); document.body.appendChild(s); window.removeEventListener('scroll', throttledRevContent); __tnt.log('Load Rev Content'); } } }, 100); window.addEventListener('scroll', throttledRevContent); }
John O'Connor
University of Richmond and Richmond Flying Squirrels Reporter
- Author twitter
- Author email
Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!
{{description}}
Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Followed notifications
Please log in to use this feature
Log In
Don't have an account? Sign Up Today