LEXINGTON, Va. ? VCU posted a three-run first inning to grab a lead that they never relinquished in defeating VMI, 9-3, in non-conference baseball action on Wednesday evening at Gray-Minor Stadium.

The Rams (15-10) jumped on Keydet starter Karter Rivera (0-1) with four consecutive hits to open the game, plating their runs on an RBI double by Joe Van Meter and a two-run single from Justin Wright.  Rivera lasted just one inning in his first career start, as seven pitchers saw action for the Keydets (12-18) in the mid-week tilt.

An Alex Haitsuka two-run home run, his fourth round-tripper in as many games, brought the Keydets to within a run in the second off of Ram starter Robbie Andrews.  The visitors countered with a single run in the third, as Van Meter's groundout plated leadoff hitter Alex Dimino. 

VMI again cut the margin to a single run in the fifth, when Tanner Biagini's double plated A.J. Yoder with the only run VMI managed off of reliever Phillip Deane (2-2) in three innings of work.  The Rams struggled through the middle innings as well, as Michael Devine worked a scoreless 1.1 innings, before Chris Henderson came on to strike out each of the five batters that he faced.

Ram reliever Joe Alford surrendered a leadoff double to Jordan Ballard in the sixth, however, retired the next six batters that he faced to keep VMI at bay.  The Rams, meanwhile, plated single runs in the seventh and eighth to move the score to 6-3.

The Keydets' last stand came in the eighth, as Biagini chased Alford with a leadoff double.  Sam Roberts then reached on an infield single, bringing the tying run to the plate against reliever Aaron Morgan.  The sophomore southpaw escaped the jam by notching a pair of strikeouts and inducing a fielder's choice, stranding the Keydet pair to end the eighth.

Dimino capped off his impressive night at the plate in the ninth, hitting the first home run of his career, a three-run shot to right field, to bring the final margin to 9-3. 

Dimino's 5-for-5 evening, complete with four RBI, three runs scored, a double and a home run, paced the Ram offense.  Wright went 2-for-5 with three RBI and a home run, while Doug Otto was 2-for-3 with a pair of walks in his five plate appearances.

“I thought it was a good mid-week game,” said VMI head coach Marlin Ikenberry.  “A lot of guys worked on the mound, and I was really pleased with some of our young pitchers.  It was good to have Chris Henderson on his A-game tonight, we just couldn't leave him out there with him starting on Saturday.  I was proud of how our guys played, but I'm obviously not happy with the result.  I thought that Steele Myers had some great at bats, and Alex Haitsuka had a big at bat early.  Offensively, I thought the only person that was really locked in tonight was Tanner Biagini, and that was the difference in the ballgame.”

Biagini reached in each of his four plate appearances in the contest, going 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles, an RBI, a walk and a hit by pitch.  Roberts was the only other Keydet with multiple hits in the contest, both singles, while Haitsuka's home run accounted for VMI's other two RBI.

The Keydets return to action on Friday evening, playing host to Gardner-Webb at Gray-Minor Stadium, with first pitch set for 6 p.m.