BRONX, N.Y. – The Saint Joseph's baseball team routed VCU on Friday, 13-1, in an Atlantic 10 Championship elimination game at Houlihan Park.
The win puts the Hawks a step away from the Atlantic 10 Championship round; the winner of tonight's game between SJU and Davidson will advance to meet top-seeded Rhode Island on Saturday.
Saint Joseph's (31-22) pounced on VCU starter Luke Crabb, hanging five runs on the board in the top of the first. Marc Giacalone led off the game with a walk and advanced to second two batters later when shortstop Matt Davis dropped a relay throw from first. A walk to Charlie Coghlin loaded the bases before Matt Maul unloaded them with a two-out single to make it 2-0.
Cal Jadacki followed with a long three-run home run to right, pushing the lead to 5-0.
VCU (38-19) got one back in the bottom of the inning on a solo home run by Logan Farrar.
The Hawks answered in the second as a two-out single from Coghlin brought home Deon Stafford, Jr., to make it 6-1. Maul extended the lead in the top of the third with his first home run of the season, a leadoff shot to left center.
The bats stayed hot in the fifth as the Hawks extended the lead to double digits. Jadacki led off with a single and advanced to second on a groundout by Taylor Boyd. A single by Peter Sitaras brought home Jadacki before Giacalone singled to put two on for Stafford. The sophomore then belted his league-leading 18th home run of the season to make it an 11-1 game.
Stafford then hit a one-out double in the seventh to tie the program's single-season hit record. Coghlin followed with a ground-rule double to plate Stafford and Charlie Concannon singled home Coghlin to extend the margin to 13-1.
Pat Vanderslice was masterful on the mound, allowing one run on five hits and one walk while striking out eight in seven innings. VCU did not have more than one baserunner aboard in any inning until the seventh as Vanderslice retired nine of 10 hitters in the middle innings to improve to 7-3 on the season.
The winner of tonight's game between SJU and Davidson will meet Rhode Island on Saturday at noon. If the Hawks or Wildcats defeat the Rams, there will be a winner-take-all game for the league title at approximately 3:30 p.m.
