Proscia, Packer Push No. 11 Baseball to 8-1 Win at VCU

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RICHMOND, Va. Steven Proscia (Fr., Suffern, N.Y.) hit a grand slam as part of a five-RBI night as the No. 11 Virginia baseball team defeated VCU, 8-1, Tuesday evening at The Diamond in Richmond, Va.

The game’s start was delayed an hour and 12 minutes because of rain.

Matt Packer (Jr., Germantown, Tenn.) made the start on the mound for Virginia and was impressive, going five innings while allowing just three baserunners two hits and one walk. Packer (2-4) struck out six in earning the win. Neal Davis (Jr., Baltimore, Md.) worked the final 1.1 innings to notch his first save of the season.

Phillip Deane (2-3) started for VCU (18-15) and was credited with the loss after allowing an earned run and three hits in two innings.

Proscia also had an RBI single and finished 2-for-5. Danny Hultzen (Fr., Bethesda, Md.) had two hits and an RBI for Virginia, and Richmond-area natives John Hicks (Fr., Sandy Hook, Va.) and David Coleman (So., Richmond, Va.) each had a pair of hits in front of a large gathering of family and friends.

In the first inning, Virginia (31-8-1) got a one-out single from Hicks, who then stole second base. He scored when Hultzen singled to left-center.

UVa used Proscia’s first career grand slam to take a 5-0 lead in the third. The first three batters reached base against reliever Ryan Crosby, with Hicks getting hit by a pitch, Hultzen singling and Dan Grovatt (So., Tabernacle, N.J.) walking. Proscia followed with a towering blast to left field for his fifth home run of the year. With his five-RBI night, he now has 40 RBI this season.

After putting just five runners on base in the first six innings, VCU broke up the shutout with a run in the seventh inning. With one out, Richard Gonzalez doubled to right field to score Justin Wright, who had singled to lead off the inning.

The Cavaliers came back in the eighth inning with a run of their own. Tyler Cannon (Jr., Pigeon Forge, Tenn.) led off with a triple down the right-field line and scored on a sacrifice fly by Franco Valdes (Jr., Miami, Fla.).

UVa tacked on two insurance runs in the ninth inning, getting an RBI single from Proscia and a run-scoring groundout by Cannon.

Virginia will play its first home game in two weeks at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday when it entertains Georgetown at Davenport Field. Please note the change in start time from the previously-scheduled 7 p.m. game time. The game will be broadcast by WINA 1070-AM and also is available online through V Pass.