Van Meter’s double delivers Rams’ extra-inning win

In a game of backs and forths, VCU mostly trailed, but Joe Van Meter (Brooklyn,
N.Y./St. Dominic) put the home team ahead when it counted. The freshman hit a
12th-inning double to score Jared Bolden (Lynchburg/E.C. Glass), and the Rams
defeated the Longwood Lancers 9-8 Tuesday in the first game under the lights
at The Diamond this season.

“It’s good for us, at this stage, to be in a game like this . because in conference
play, we’ll be seeing a lot more,” VCU coach Paul Keyes said.

The Rams answered a first-inning Lancers run with a pair of small-ball runs
to take a 2-1 lead. Longwood added five runs through the third, fourth and fifth
innings to take a 6-2 advantage.

Starter Michael Graham (Fairfax Station/South County) gave up five runs in
3.1 innings.

“Mike’s a one-pitch guy right now, and we probably left him in an inning too
long,” Keyes said.

Richard Gonzalez (Caguas, Puerto Rico/PRBA) brought the Rams back with one
swing in the fifth inning. He cleared the bases with a triple to right-center field,
giving himself four total runs batted in for the game, and tied the game 6-6.

Trailing 8-7, entering the ninth inning, Longwood scored the run it needed to
force extra innings. Robbie Bailey drew a walk to lead off the top of the inning.
He was advanced on the following at-bat by Jon Quigley, who grounded to VCU
shortstop Chris Jackson. Jackson mishandled the double-play opportunity and
threw out Quigley for the fielder’s choice.

Through nine innings, the second frame was the only one in which both
teams failed to score. Neither side rallied for a decisive run in the 10th or 11 innings.

Jesse Reid (Midlothian/Powhatan)
worked VCU out of a jam in the 12th
inning. Casey Havers led off with
a single and was moved to second
when Nick von Gersdorff reached on
a fielding error by Bolden.

Carlos Rodriguez (Vega Baja, Puerto
Rico/PRBA) nearly ended the game
with a deep foul ball down the left-field
line on the first pitch of the bottom
of the 11th inning, but ended up
singling to left-center. He was three of
31 (0.097) entering the game, but had
three hits in five at-bats Tuesday.

Although Van Meter had gone
hitless in his last 14 at-bats, he was
undeterred when he stepped to the
plate in the bottom of the 12th inning.
Bolden represented the winning run
and took his lead from second base
with one out.

“I went up there, slowed everything
down and looked for something fat,”
Van Meter said. “(Before), I had been
really over-aggressive swinging at the
first pitch.”

Van Meter drove John Walker’s 0-2
pitch to right field over the outstretched
arm of Topher Ellis and scored Bolden
for the walk-off win.

Reid earned his first career win in
two innings of relief work. John Walker
was credited with the loss to even his
record to 2-2 this season.

Tuesday was the middle game of a
seven-game home stand for the Rams.
They have won three of the last four
and are 5-12 overall. Longwood drops
to 11-7. VCU returns to The Diamond
this weekend for a series with Georgia
State in its first home conference games
of the season.

By the numbers

Longwood (11-7) 102 210 101 000 8 14 1

VCU (5-12) 200 040 200 001 9 12 2

Briere, Lythgoe (5), Weiderman (7), Moody (8), Walker (10)
and Quigley; Graham, Hirsch (4), Morgan (8), Reid (11) and
Rodriguez. W: Reid (1-0). L: Walker (2-2)