Rhode Island Lineup
Olmo (RF), Gardella (C), Hess (2B), Taveras (DH), DeRegis (LF), Corin (1B), O'Neil (3B), Powell (CF), Caputo (SS), Wilson (P)  

VCU Lineup
Farrar (CF), Berezo (2B), Davis (3B), Machin (SS), Carpenter (1B), Kerrigan (RF), Gransback (DH), Bunn (LF), Haymaker (C), Thompson (P)

How it Happened

Rhode Island (25-24-1) wasted no time getting on the board as Chris Hess sent a two-out homer out over the left center wall to put the Rams up 1-0 in the top of the first. Ryan Olmo followed suit in the top of the third, clearing the 18-foot wall in right centerfield to double Rhody's lead at 2-0.

VCU (36-22) then used a two-out, bases-loaded double off the bat of Walker Haymaker to move ahead 3-2 in the bottom of the fourth. 

Rhody stranded runners in scoring position each of the next four innings while VCU scored five additional unanswered runs - four in the sixth and one in the seventh - for the 8-2 win.

Inside the Box Score

• Rhody got its only runs of the game on a pair of solo shots by redshirt freshman Chris Hess and junior Ryan Olmo.
• Overall, the Rams stranded 11 base runners while allowing VCU to score seven of its eight runs with two-out outs.
• Hess finished the night with a pair of hits, as did senior Nick DeRegis. 
• Freshman Tyler Wilson was charged with the loss, allowing five runs (all earned) on eight hits over 5.0 innings.  He fanned five and walked three. 
• Redshirt sophomore Ben Wessel tossed an inning of relief, giving up one run on two hits in the sixth. 
• Freshman Dom Grillo was responsible for VCU's final run of the game in the bottom of the seventh. 
• Classmate Nick Johnson closed things out with an inning and a third of no-hit relief.
• VCU's Sean Thompson earned the win, going five and a third innings with two runs on six hits. Daniel Concepcion tossed the final three innings to pick up his 12th save of the season.

What's Next
The Rams return to action tomorrow afternoon when then face the winner of tonight's matchup between George Washington and Davidson. First pitch in the elimination game will be at 12:30 p.m. Should Rhode Island win that game, they will move on to meet VCU at 4:30 p.m. URI would then need to knock off VCU twice - at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday and at noon on Sunday - to win the A-10 title.