'Cats Take Fifth Straight A-10 Series in Big Sunday Win Over VCU

Sunday, April 29

Davidson, N.C.

1:00 p.m.

Davidson College

27-15, 12-6

VCU

28-16, 11-7

VCU

Davidson

Photo by: Tim Cowie - DavidsonPhotos.com

'Cats Take Fifth Straight A-10 Series in Big Sunday Win Over VCU

4/29/2018 5:13:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

DavidsonPhotos.com
Davidson-VCU Box Score (PDF)
Highlights

DAVIDSON, N.C. – Davidson baseball delivered three separate comebacks Sunday, defeating VCU 13-9 at Wilson Field and remaining in second place in the Atlantic 10 standings after picking up their fifth straight league series.

The 'Cats improve to 27-15, 12-6 while the Rams slip to 28-16, 11-7.

Davidson cranked out 16 hits in the contest, led by the junior duo of Justin Lebek and Eric Jones, who posted three each. Jones blasted his second career grand slam and 10^thlong ball of the season, while Lebek also went yard for the sixth time this year, scoring in three times and also driving in three.

Senior Alec Acosta, sophomore Brett Centracchio, and junior Max Bazin each recorded two hits each.

Senior Connor Gordon pitched 4.1 innings of relief en route to the victory, and junior Casey Sutherland tossed two shutout frames to earn his fourth save of the year.

The Rams scored in the opening frame by way of a RBI groundout, but the 'Cats quickly tied it up, after senior Cam Johnson doubled down the left field line and was brought in on a single from Jones through the left side gap.

VCU scored three times in the third on four hits and an error to take a 4-1 lead, but the 'Cats once again immediately cut the deficit. Sophomore Ward Coleman was plunked to lead off the frame, then advanced on a single through the right side from senior Andrew Born. Johnson worked a four-pitch walk to load the bases, and Acosta smoked a ball to right center to bring in Coleman and put the 'Cats on top.

Jones then took the second pitch of the at bat and blasted the ball deep over left field, handing Davidson some cushion with a 6-4 lead.

In the continual game of cat-and-mouse, VCU stole the lead back once again, plating three runs in the fourth on another Wildcat miscue and three hits. The Rams scored again in the fifth to make it 8-6, before Davidson tied it up once again.

In the bottom of the fifth, Centracchio led off with a single he laced down the right field line, then came around on Lebek's blast to left field.

Davidson took the lead once again for ultimately the final time in the sixth, scoring four runs. Another leadoff hit-by-pitch put Acosta on, who advanced on yet another Jones gap single. They each moved up and Acosta eventually scored on back-to-back hits from Centracchio and Lebek, and Bazin worked a full-count walk with bases loaded to bring in Jones. Sophomore Matt Frey picked up a RBI on a groundout back to the pitcher that brought in Centracchio, and Coleman drove in Lebek.

After VCU scored again in the eighth and threatened with two men on before Sutherland entered with no outs and shut them down, a groundout from Born brought in Lebek (who walked) to give the 'Cats extra insurance.

Davidson will host Charleston Southern Wednesday at Wilson Field, before returning to the road, traveling to St. Louis to face the league-leaders for a weekend stint.