This is my first article that I am not going to talk about VCU basketball in. Instead, I will talk about VCU baseball in this one. During the 2014-2015 baseball season, VCU decided to build yet another legacy with an Atlantic 10 Championship against Rhode Island and move on to the Dallas Regional as the #4 seed.
#4 VCU vs. #1 Dallas Baptist (5/29/15):
Both teams were scoreless in the first three innings. In the 4th inning, VCU took off. Designated hitter Brett Hileman hits a single to bat in third baseman Matt Davis and second baseman Dane Berezo as shortstop Vima Machin advances to second base to make the score 2-0. Then, right fielder Jimmy Kerrigan hits a double to left-center field and bats in Vima Machin to make the score 3-0. Next, James Bunn hits a sacrifice grounder to bat in Brett Hileman making the score 4-0. After that, Jimmy Kerrigan dashes home after a wild pitch making the score 5-0. In the top of the 5th, Vima Machin bats in Matt Davis as he hits a single to center field making the score 6-1 after Dallas Baptist scores a run in the bottom of the 4th inning. In the top of the 8th inning, Daane Berezo bats in catcher Walker Haymaker to make the score 7-2 as this also ended up being the final score of the game as VCU wins their first NCAA Baseball Tourney game since 2003.
#4 VCU vs. #2 Oregon State (5/31/15):
Like the VCU vs. Dallas Baptist game, this game also started off scoreless after the first three innings. In the bottom of the 4th inning, first baseman Darian Carpenter hits a single to bat in Matt Davis and advances Vima Machin to second making the score 1-0. Then, Brett Hileman hit a sacrifice fly ball to bat in Vima Machin making the score 2-0. Next, Jimmy Kerrigan hits a double down the right-field line to bat in Darian Carpenter making the score 3-0. In the bottom of the 5th inning, Vima Machin hits a double to right field batting in both Matt Davis and Daane Berezo making the score 5-0. After Oregon State scores a run in the top of the 7th inning, the rest of the game went scoreless as VCU advances to the Dallas Regional Championship game with a final score of 5-1.
#4 VCU vs. #1 Dallas Baptist (6/1/15):
In this game, all VCU has to do is win and they move on to the Super Regional (Sweet 16). In the bottom of the second inning, the score is 2-0 after Dallas Baptist scored two runs in the top of the first inning. Brett Hileman hits a sacrifice out turning into a double play for Dallas Baptist, however he also bats in Vima Machin in the process making the score 2-1. This was also the final score as Dallas Baptist takes down VCU in a 2-1 Ram loss. Both teams go into game two in a win or go home situation later the same day.
#4 VCU vs. #1 Dallas Baptist (6/1/15) the Sequel:
Whoever wins this game moves on to the Super Regional against Miami in a best two out of three game series. In the top of the second inning, James Bunn gets hit by a pitch while the bases are loaded. This brings home Vima Machin to make the score 1-0. Then, Cody Acker grounded out to second base, but in the process of the ground out, Cody bats in Brett Hileman to make the score 2-0. In the top of the sixth inning, the score is 2-1 after Dallas Baptist scores a run in the bottom of the 4th inning. In the top of the sixth, Cody Acker grounded out to second base once again, but he bats in Jimmy Kerrigan in the process making the score 3-1. The rest of the game went scoreless and VCU was once again the Cinderella as they are the only #4 seed to make it to the 2014-2015 NCAA Baseball Tournament’s Super Regional.
In the Super Regional, also known as the Sweet 16 of NCAA Baseball, VCU loses the first two games in a best two out of three game series against Miami. Despite that, this was by far the best season in VCU baseball history as they made it to their first ever Super Regional and were once again the Cinderella of college sports. VCU now has not one, but two legacies to look back on now.
Thank you for a season to remember VCU Baseball.
