HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – Virginia Commonwealth University picked up his fourth straight Colonial Athletic Association series victory after defeating Hofstra University 10-4 Saturday afternoon at University Field. VCU improves to 20-15 overall and 10-1 in CAA play, while Hofstra slips to 10-19 and 3-5 in conference action. The Rams pounded out 15 hits as senior Matt Leskiw and sophomore Paul Nice contributed three apiece. Junior Joe Van Meter went 2-for-3, scored four runs and collected a pair of triples, marking the first time in nearly three years a VCU player has posted two triples in a game. Sophomore Michael Graham allowed four runs on seven hits and picked up his fourth win of the year. He also struck out seven and walked just one. VCU got on the board first with a pair of runs in the top of the second. Van Meter led off the frame with a triple down the right field line and came home on a groundout by junior John Lenherr. Sophomore Brent Mikionis then doubled to left and Nice sent an RBI single up the middle to give VCU an early 2-0 lead. The Rams added two more runs with two out in the third. Leskiw scored after Van Meter collected his second triple of the day and came home on an error by Pride third baseman Mike Walraven. VCU then used a three-run fourth inning to pull ahead 7-0. Four of the Rams first five batters reached as junior Michael Cheatham, Leskiw and senior Richard Gonzalez each drove in runs and VCU scored in its third consecutive trip to the plate. Drew Liebert, who relieved Hofstra starter David D'Errico in the third, retired six straight Rams until Cheatham, Leskiw and Gonzalez all reached to load the bases with one out in the sixth. However, Liebert escaped the jam as senior Doug Otto grounded into an inning-ending double play. Van Meter drew a leadoff walk and scored on an RBI single by Nice to give VCU an 8-0 advantage in the top of the seventh. For the second straight inning the Rams had an opportunity to add to their lead with the bases loaded but Liebert again induced a double play to end the VCU threat. After retiring the first two Hofstra batters he faced of the seventh, Graham allowed six straight batters to reach with two outs and the Pride cut VCU's lead in half. Michael Beers put Hofstra on the board with an RBI double into center before Matt Hancock drove in a run with a single to right. Matt Prokopowicz then pulled Hofstra within 8-4 after he singled up the middle. However, for the second day in a row, Mikionis sealed the win with a home run as he sent a two-run blast over the left field wall to put VCU on top 10-4. VCU and Hofstra will conclude the three-game
series on Sunday at 1 p.m. as the Rams look for their second
straight and third CAA sweep of the season. |
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August 31, 2010
FORMER RAM VAN METER EARNS PROMOTION TO CLASS-A HICKORY

June 29, 2010
VAN METER NAMED TO VaSID FIRST TEAM ALL-STATE SQUAD

June 16, 2010
VAN METER NAMED TO ABCA/RAWLINGS ALL-EAST REGION TEAM

May 21, 2010
GAME 2: JAMES MADISON 11, VCU 8

May 21, 2010
GAME 1: VCU 6, JAMES MADISON 1

May 18, 2010
VCU FALLS AT LIBERTY, 7-6, ON WALK-OFF HOME RUN


May 9, 2010
GAME 1: VCU 3, VIRGINIA STATE 1

May 9, 2010
GAME 2: VCU 19, VIRGINIA STATE 1

April 28, 2010
FOUR-RUN FIRST INNING LEADS VCU TO 7-3 VICTORY AGAINST VMI

April 25, 2010
VCU BATTLES GEORGIA STATE TO 14-14 TIE IN 10 INNINGS

April 3, 2010
VCU RALLIES IN EXTRAS FOR 6-5 WIN AGAINST WILLIAM & MARY

March 31, 2010
VCU FALLS TO LIBERTY, 7-4, IN MIDWEEK MATCHUP

March 30, 2010
VCU SNAPS FOUR-GAME WINNING STREAK WITH 7-2 LOSS AT MARYLAND

March 28, 2010
VAN METER PULLS DOUBLE DUTY, PROPELS VCU TO SWEEP, 9-4

March 24, 2010
VCU SNAPS SKID, DEFEATS LONGWOOD 10-4

March 20, 2010
RAMS DROP SECOND GAME OF SERIES TO WESTERN KENTUCKY, 15-3

March 19, 2010
WESTERN KENTUCKY DEFEATS VCU, 19-4

March 17, 2010
BRIERE, LONGWOOD STYMIE VCU, 6-0

March 14, 2010
RAMS SHUT DOWN IN SERIES FINALE WITH BETHUNE-COOKMAN, 8-1

March 13, 2010
RAMS SWEPT IN SATURDAY DOUBLE-DIP

March 13, 2010
RAMS SWEPT IN SATURDAY DOUBLE-DIP

March 10, 2010
VCU BATS CRUSH QUINNIPIAC, 20-3

March 6, 2010
VCU WINS SECOND STRAIGHT, DEFEATS CLEVELAND STATE, 10-7

February 28, 2010
RAMS DROP SERIES FINALE TO FAIRFIELD, 6-4

February 26, 2010
VCU CANT HOLD OFF LATE FAIRFIELD RALLY, FALLS 7-5 IN 10 INNINGS

February 21, 2010
VCU DROPS SERIES FINALE AT CHARLESTON SOUTHERN, 5-2

February 20, 2010
Virginia Commonwealt vs Charleston Southern (Feb 20, 2010)