Senior Matt Kougasian did his best to celebrate Hofstra's Senior Day, as he picked up three hits, including a home run, and two RBIs on the day, but VCU swept the Pride in a Colonial Athletic Association doubleheader Saturday afternoon taking game one, 3-2, and game two, 6-1. Jared Bolden led the Rams, hitting three home runs in the winning effort. With the victories, VCU improves to 15-27 (8-15 CAA), while Hofstra falls to 18-36 (6-23 CAA).

Hofstra lost a heartbreaker in game one. After Kougasian tied the score at 2-2 with his second home run of the season, a solo shot in the fourth, Hofstra starter Rob Kumbatovic and VCU starter Cody Eppley dueled through the nine innings and into the tenth without allowing a run.

Things got interesting in the tenth when the Rams loaded the bases with two outs as M.L. Morgan reached on a fielder's choice, Richard Gonzalez singled to left and Bolden reached on an error. The next batter, pinch-hitter Nate Furry, hit a hard groundball up the middle that looked like it was going to be fielded by Pride shortstop Matt Prokopowicz. However, the ball bounced off the infield umpire, who was standing just behind the shortstop side of the pitchers mound, and the ball was called dead. Furry was awarded first, and each runner advanced a base, allowing the go-ahead run to score, putting the Rams ahead, 3-2.  

Eppley came on to pitch the tenth for VCU and retired the side to close out the game and earn his sixth win of the season. Kumbatovic took the hard-luck loss for Hofstra as he pitched 9.2 innings, allowing just two earned runs and striking out 12 Rams, a season high for the sophomore.

VCU struck for one run in the first, coming on Bolden's first home run of the day, a solo shot to right field. Hofstra answered back in the home half of the inning when Kougasian smoked a single through the right side of the infield to plate junior Chris Mentrasti.

The Rams took the lead in the second on an RBI single by the catcher, Carlos Rodriguez, but Kougasian tied the game up with a home run that bounced off the scoreboard in right center. Both Eppley and Kumbatovic found their grooves shortly thereafter, shutting down the opposing team's offense until the tenth.

Both VCU and Hofstra struck for a run in the first of game two of the doubleheader. M.L. Morgan came around to score on a throwing error by Prokopowicz to give the Rams an early lead. In the home half of the first, sophomore Elliot Hagburg singled home senior Anthony Sarno, who reached base with a single and stole second base, to tie the game at 1-1.

Bolden put the VCU ahead for good in the third with his second home run of the day, this time slugging a three-run shot over the right field fence, to make the score 4-1. Rodriguez and Bolden would add solo shots in the fourth and fifth, respectively, to increase the lead to 6-1.

The Hofstra bats never woke up in game two of the doubleheader, as the Pride managed just five hits off of VCU starter Ian Thomas, who earned his third win of the season. Sophomore Drew Luedtke took the loss for Hofstra, allowing four runs in three innings.

Prior to the start of game one, Hofstra honored seniors Felix Adamkiewicz, Dave Cole, Dan Lux, Matt Kougasian, Anthony Sarno, Eric Corkery and Tom Caltabiano for their contributions to the Hofstra Baseball Program as this weekend marks the end of their careers at Hofstra.  

The Pride return to action Sunday afternoon at 12 p.m. for their season finale against VCU.

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