Richmond Leader

VCU KNOCKS OFF CORNELL TO LOCK UP SERIES WIN

Final Score: VCU 10, Cornell 5

Winning Pitcher: James Gladden (1-0)

Losing Pitcher: Ethan Hamill (0-3)

Location: Richmond, Va. (The Diamond)

Records: VCU 5-10, Cornell 0-8

 

The Short Story: Coming out of the pen James Gladden tossed 5.2 strong innings to get his first career win, giving VCU Baseball its second win of the weekend over Cornell.  The Rams were helped by another solid day at the dish powered by the middle of the VCU lineup.

 

LEADING OFF: 

• Gladden finished with 5.2 innings thrown, four strikeouts, two hits allowed and no earned runs to get his first career win. Gladden came out of the pen, and set career highs in strikeouts and innings pitched.
• Christian Gordon got the start and went 3.1 innings, giving up five hits and five earned runs while tying a career-high in strikeouts with five.
• The middle of the VCU lineup was solid, with hitters three-six going a combined 7-for-17, knocking in seven runs.
• Will Carlone remained hot, going 2-for-5 with one home run, two RBIs and two runs scored.
• Brandon Eike had another solid day, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
• Logan Amiss added a 2-for-5 day, collecting two RBIs.
• AJ Mathis hit lead off, going 2-for-3 scoring two runs and stealing a career-high two stolen bases.
• The win gave VCU its first series win of 2023.

HOW IT HAPPENED: 

• The Big Red opened the scoring with four runs in the first inning, but that would be the only multi-run inning for Cornell as the VCU pitching settled in for the remainder of the game.
• The Rams answered in the bottom half of the frame, scoring on a fielder's choice hit by Carlone that brought home Mathis.
• The score sat at 4-1 but the Cornell lead did not last long. As VCU scored five in the second to take the lead for good.
• Nic Ericsson reached second on a base hit and fielding error by the Cornell center fielder and he was brought home by an Ethan Brooks single to right center.
• Mathis then began to show what makes him dangerous on the base paths, walking and then taking part in a double steal with Brooks to put a pair of VCU runners in scoring position.
• Both Brooks (ground out) and Mathis would eventually score, with William Bean scoring Mathis on a single to left field to tie the game at 4-4.
• Eike brought home Bean on a single to left to put VCU in front and Amiss added an RBI of his own to put the Rams up 6-4 after the opening two frames.
•  Cornell scored its final run in the fourth, chasing Gordon from the game. But when Gladden took the mound he began to completely shut down the Big Red.
• Over the next five innings, Gladden dominated, striking out the final two hitters to end the sixth and the eighth while allowing just four base runners on two hits over his five innings of work.
• Opening the fourth, Carlone took a 2-1 pitch to dead center. Going 398 feet to put VCU up 8-5. The Rams would have to wait until the eighth inning to add some insurance runs thanks to Cornell's Spencer Edwards pitching three scoreless and hitless innings.
• In the eighth, VCU added two more on a sacrifice fly from Eike and an Amiss double to left that scored Bean (walk).
• The two runs gave VCU and Gladden a bigger cushion as the VCU freshman took care of Cornell in the ninth to lock up the 10-5 win and VCU's first series win of 2023.

UP NEXT: VCU and Cornell finish their weekend set at The Diamond tomorrow (Mar. 12). The game originally set to start at 1 p.m. has been moved up to 11 a.m. due to weather. The game can be watched on ESPN+.

Original source can be found here