LEXINGTON, Va. - Joe Van Meter slugged three home runs to lead VCU to an 11-4 victory over VMI Tuesday evening in non-conference baseball action at Gray-Minor Stadium.
Van Meter went 4 for 4 with six RBIs and four runs scored in the game, leading a 15-hit performance for the Rams. Paul Nice accounted for the team's other home run, while driving in three runs. Richard Gonzalez, Doug Otto, John Lenherr and Brent Mikionis also had a pair of hits for the visitors.
Ram starter Ryan Farrar (1-2) took the win, blanking the Keydets over the first three innings. He was the first of six VCU pitchers to work in the contest, as he was followed Kyle Pelchy, who allowed two runs in his three innings.
Keydet starter Jeremy Brown (2-1) was charged six runs on eight hits in three innings. Ryan Barefoot allowed just a single run in his two frames before Coby Cowgill surrendered four scores in three innings. Miles McQuaig then made his second mound appearance of the year, working a scoreless ninth while striking out a pair.
Sam Roberts drove in a pair for the Keydets, connecting for his ninth home run of the season. One at bat later, Cory Spangenberg hit his 10th of the season, going 2 for 5. Rob Dickinson, Chase Worthington and Jordan Ballard, who extended his career-best hitting streak to 15 games, also had a pair of hits each for VMI.
Following a VCU run in the second, the Rams struck for five in the third to take control. Van Meter's first of the day, a three-run shot, started the scoring, while Nice's two-run jack three batters later pushed the margin to 6-0.
Van Meter then led off the fifth with a solo shot, before Roberts and Spangenberg went back-to-back in the fifth. Van Meter's two-run homer in the sixth pushed the margin back to seven, 9-2.
VMI loaded the bases in the seventh and scored a run when Roberts drew a walk. Brennan Huelse then came in to retire Spangenberg, before Jonathan Watson struck out the next two batters to leave the bases loaded.
VCU struck for two more in the eighth, when Otto had an RBI double then scored on Lenherr's base knock through the right side. VMI wrapped up the scoring in the home half, when Worthington's double down the left-field line plated Dickinson.
VMI takes on William & Mary in Williamsburg Wednesday evening, with first pitch set for 7 p.m. at Plumeri Park.
