Drew Thompson, Sports Editor
VCU lost 4-3 to George Washington University on Friday to start a three game series, falling back to earth after its upset win over the University of Virginia earlier this week.
Neither team made much of an impact in the first inning, with both sides failing to get a hit.
VCU cruised through the top of the second despite redshirt fourth-year pitcher Elias Holbert hitting two batters.
The Rams started the bottom of the second with a lead-off double from third-year infielder Nate Kirkpatrick. Graduate student catcher Teige Lethert followed up with an RBI double to score VCU’s first run of the game.
The third inning came and went without much action. VCU’s Holbert walked two batters before a double-play brought in the Rams hitters. However, VCU went out three up, three down.
Holbert walked two more batters in the top of the top of the fourth, but VCU escaped the inning again without giving up a hit or a run. The Rams came into the bottom of the fourth looking to capitalize on the good defensive play, but once again went three up three down.
George Washington upended VCU in the top of the fifth after the Rams brought in third-year pitcher Caleb Clover. The Revolutionaries doubled, before the baserunner got home on a fielding error. Another double sent a second baserunner home to give GW a 2-1 lead.
VCU responded with a lead-off double from redshirt first-year infielder Alec Warden, but Warden got picked off at second. The Rams could not move forward from there, going into the sixth still down one.
Both the sixth and seventh inning came-and-went with little action. VCU got a runner in scoring position in the seventh but failed to tie the game.
George Washington scored two more runs in the top of the eighth off of RBI singles.
VCU brought in third-year pitcher Brody Leyboldt, who put a runner in scoring position off a wild pitch before getting immediately replaced by second-year pitcher Cooper Campbell.
Campbell gave up the second RBI single of the inning, giving GW a 4-1 lead.
VCU answered back with an RBI double from third-year outfielder Michael Petite and an RBI single from Kirkpatrick, bringing the lead back to 4-3.
The Rams ran through three Revolutionary batters to start the top of the ninth, giving VCU the chance to tie or walk-off the game in the bottom of the ninth.
The first two VCU batters struck out and grounded out to start the ninth, before graduate student utility Dante DeFranco was hit by a pitch. DeFranco then stole second, putting a runner in scoring position for VCU.
Second-year catcher Jacob Lee stepped up with a chance to give VCU the game, but struck out swinging to dash the Rams’ rally, 4-3.
Kirkpatrick led the Rams, going 2-2 with a double and an RBI. Clover took the pitching loss — his second on the season.
VCU will play its next game tomorrow, Saturday April 18, against George Washington at 1 p.m.
This story is developing. Please check back on Sunday for an updated recap!