2019 VCU Rams baseball team

American college baseball season

2019 VCU Rams baseball

Atlantic 10 Regular season Champions
Spartanburg Classic Champions
Conference	Atlantic 10 Conference
Record	39–19 (19–5 A-10)
Head coach	Shawn Stiffler (7th season)
Assistant coaches	Mike McRae (2nd season) Rich Witten (2nd season) Josh Tutwiler (4th season)
Home stadium	The Diamond
Seasons ← 2018 2020 →

2019 Atlantic 10 Conference baseball standings
v t e	Conf						Overall
Team	W		L		T	PCT	W		L		T	PCT
VCU ‍†‍‍	19	–	5	–	0	.792	39	–	19	–	0	.672
Davidson ‍‍‍	14	–	6	–	0	.700	29	–	22	–	0	.569
Dayton ‍‍‍	16	–	8	–	0	.667	32	–	26	–	1	.551
Fordham ‍‍‡‍^y	15	–	9	–	0	.625	38	–	24	–	0	.613
Richmond ‍‍‍	13	–	8	–	0	.619	28	–	25	–	1	.528
Rhode Island ‍‍‍	14	–	9	–	0	.609	24	–	29	–	0	.453
Saint Louis ‍‍‍	13	–	11	–	0	.542	25	–	30	–	0	.455
Saint Joseph's ‍‍‍	13	–	11	–	0	.542	21	–	28	–	0	.429
George Washington ‍‍‍	11	–	13	–	0	.458	30	–	24	–	0	.556
UMass ‍‍‍	8	–	14	–	0	.364	18	–	27	–	0	.400
St. Bonaventure ‍‍‍	6	–	18	–	0	.250	13	–	32	–	0	.289
George Mason ‍‍‍	5	–	19	–	0	.208	19	–	35	–	0	.352
La Salle ‍‍‍	4	–	20	–	0	.167	25	–	31	–	0	.446

† – Conference champion ‡ – Tournament champion y – Invited to the NCAA tournament As of June 4, 2019^[1] Rankings from D1Baseball

The 2019 VCU Rams baseball team was the program's 49th baseball season. It was their 7th season the Atlantic 10 Conference. The regular season began on February 15, 2019, and concluded on May 18, 2019. The Rams finished as regular season champions.

Preseason

A10 media poll

The A10 media poll was released on February 7, 2019, with the Rams predicted to finish in second place in the Atlantic 10.

Predicted finish	Team	Votes (1st place)
Media poll (East)
1	Saint Louis	(9)
2	VCU	(2)
3	Davidson	(1)
4	Fordham	(1)
5	George Mason
6	Richmond
7	Rhode Island
8	George Washington
9	Dayton
10	Saint Joseph's
11	St. Bonaventure
12	La Salle
13	UMass

Roster

2019 VCU Rams Roster^[2]

Pitchers

9 – Hayden Moore – Junior
10 – Connor Gillispie – Junior
18 – Justin Sorokowski – RS Sophomore
20 – Jaden Griffin – Freshman
23 – David Dunn – Sophomore
24 – Maddison Furman – Freshman
25 – Benjamin Dum – Senior
30 – Michael Dailey – Senior
32 – Curtis Bafus – Senior
33 – Sam Ryan – Junior
34 – Brady Underwood – Sophomore
38 – Danny Watson – Freshman
39 – Evan Chenier – Freshman
40 – Jack Alkire – Senior
42 – Carter Knapek – RS Sophomore
43 – Brooks Knapek – Sophomore

Infielders

1 – Steven Carpenter – Junior
2 – Paul Witt – Junior
3 – Brett Willett – Junior
4 – Noah Heisler – Freshman
13 – Zach Ching – RS Senior
14 – Brett Norwood – Junior
16 – Liam Hibbits – Sophomore
22 – Andrew Puglielli – Junior
27 – Brett Young – Freshman

Utility

8 – Hogan Brown – Sophomore
19 – Jack Schroeder – Sophomore
28 – Mac McCarty – Senior

Catchers

15 – Hunter Vay – Sopohomore
17 – Josh Simon – Junior
21 – Logan Amiss – Freshman
31 – Connor Hicks – Freshman
36 – Matt Stallings – Sophomore
37 – Andrew Schatz – Senior

Outfielders

6 – Tomas Sanchez – Freshman
12 – Brandon Henson – Junior
26 – Cooper Benzin – Freshman
41 – Alex Taylor – Freshman

Regular season

Results

Game log

Legend
	VCU win
	VCU loss
	Postponement/cancellation
(10)	Extra innings
*	Non-conference game
Bold	VCU team member
†	Make-Up Game

2019 VCU Rams baseball game log

Regular season (39–17)

February (5–3)
Date	Opponent	Rank	Site/stadium	Score	Win	Loss	Save	Attendance	Overall record	A10 Record
Feb. 15	at No. 21 Coastal Carolina* Chanticleer Classic		Springs Brooks Stadium • Conway, SC	L 8–10	M. Eardensohn (1–0)	B. Dum (0–1)	A. Abney (1)	2,507	0–1	—
Feb. 16	vs. Campbell* Chanticleer Classic		Springs Brooks Stadium • Conway, SC	W 8–7	E. Chenier (1–0)	W. Tyson (0–1)	M. McCarty (1)	252	1–1	—
Feb. 17	vs. Maryland* Chanticleer Classic		Springs Brooks Stadium • Conway, SC	L 3–5	N. Turnball (1–0)	S. Ryan (0–1)	J. Murphy (1)	271	1–2	—
Feb. 21	at Wofford* Spartanburg Classic		Russell C. King Field • Spartanburg, SC	W 13–3	C. Gillispie (1–0)	A. Higginbotham (1–1)	none	139	2–2	—
Feb. 22	vs. Radford* Spartanburg Classic		Russell C. King Field • Spartanburg, SC	Cancelled					2–2	—
Feb. 23	at USC Upstate*		Cleveland Harley Park • Spartanburg, SC	W 7–4	J. Sorokowski (1–0)	T. van der Weide (0–1)	M. McCarty (2)	269	3–2	—
Feb. 24	at USC Upstate*		Cleveland Harley Park • Spartanburg, SC	W 14–2	J. Alkire (1–0)	J. Thiessen (0–1)	none	257	4–2	—
Feb. 26	Maryland*		The Diamond • Richmond, VA	L 3–4	N. Turnball (2–0)	B. Dum (0–2)	J. Murphy (3)	274	4–3	—
Feb. 27	at No. 6 North Carolina*		Boshamer Stadium • Chapel Hill, NC	W 11–8	E. Chenier (2–0)	C. O'Brien (1–1)	none	1,469	5–3	—

March (16–4)
Date	Opponent	Rank	Site/stadium	Score	Win	Loss	Save	Attendance	Overall record	A10 Record
Mar. 1	Cornell*		The Diamond • Richmond, VA	W 6–1	S. Ryan (1–0)	S. Urbon (0–2)	none	240	6–3	—
Mar. 2	Cornell*		The Diamond • Richmond, VA	W 2–0	B. Dum (1–2)	C. Wyatt (0–1)	M. McCarty (3)	282	7–3	—
Mar. 2	Cornell*		The Diamond • Richmond, VA	W 9–3	J. Alkire (2–0)	L. Yacinich (0–1)	D. Watson (1)	391	8–3	—
Mar. 8	Lafayette*		The Diamond • Richmond, VA	W 6–3	B. Dum (2–2)	F. Craska (0–1)	M. McCarty (4)	258	9–3	—
Mar. 9	Lafayette*		The Diamond • Richmond, VA	W 7–6	S. Ryan (2–1)	K. Subers (0–1)	none	354	10–3	—
Mar. 10	Lafayette*		The Diamond • Richmond, VA	W 7–3	C. Bafus (1–0)	B. Kreyer (0–3)	none	338	11–3	—
Mar. 12	Marist*		The Diamond • Richmond, VA	W 8–1	D. Watson (1–0)	Z. Kmietek (0–2)	none	242	12–3	—
Mar. 13	Marist*		The Diamond • Richmond, VA	W 9–3	E. Chenier (3–0)	N. Cantone (0–1)	S. Ryan (1)	236	13–3	—
Mar. 15	at UCF*		John Euliano Park • Orlando, FL	L 9–10	C. Williams (2–1)	C. Bafus (1–1)	J. Hakanson (5)	1,242	13–4	—
Mar. 16	at UCF*		John Euliano Park • Orlando, FL	W 4–3	B. Dum (3–2)	J. Sinclar (2–2)	none	1,371	14–4	—
Mar. 17	at UCF*		John Euliano Park • Orlando, FL	L 2–8	T. Holloway (2–0)	J. Sorokowski (1–1)	Z. Hunsicker (1)	1,189	14–5	—
Mar. 19	William & Mary*		The Diamond • Richmond, VA	L 3–7	R. Prosperi (3–0)	J. Alkire (2–1)	none	373	14–6	—
Mar. 20	Towson*		The Diamond • Richmond, VA	W 6–0	D. Watson (2–0)	D. Repine (0–3)	B. Dum (1)	189	15–6	—
Mar. 22	UMass		The Diamond • Richmond, VA	W 5–2	E. Chenier (4–0)	J. Lasko (1–2)	S. Ryan (2)	249	16–6	1–0
Mar. 23	UMass		The Diamond • Richmond, VA	W 7–2	B. Dum (4–2)	Z. Clevenger (0–1)	none	317	17–6	2–0
Mar. 24	UMass		The Diamond • Richmond, VA	W 3–1	J. Alkire (3–1)	J. Pawloski (0–1)	none	338	18–6	3–0
Mar. 26	VMI*		The Diamond • Richmond, VA	W 15–2	E. Chenier (5–0)	Z. Sanders (0–2)	none	877	19–6	—
Mar. 29	Davidson		The Diamond • Richmond, VA	L 2–3	C. Sutherland (4–0)	B. Dum (4–3)	G. Levy (5)	471	19–7	3–1
Mar. 30	Davidson		The Diamond • Richmond, VA	W 7–3	J. Alkire (4–1)	D. Spear (0–1)	S. Ryan (3)	549	20–7	4–1
Mar. 31	Davidson		The Diamond • Richmond, VA	W 13–1	C. Gillispie (2–0)	G. Levy (1–1)	none	337	21–7	5–1

April (9–8)
Date	Opponent	Rank	Site/stadium	Score	Win	Loss	Save	Attendance	Overall record	A10 Record
Apr. 2	at Longwood*		Buddy Bolding Stadium • Farmville, VA	Postponed	—	—	—	—	—	—
Apr. 3	at Longwood*		Buddy Bolding Stadium • Farmville, VA	W 12–6	D. Watson (3–0)	A. Abdalah (0–2)	none	115	22–7	—
Apr. 5	at La Salle		Hank DeVincent Field • Philadelphia, PA	W 11–2	J. Alkire (5–1)	C. Kennedy (1–1)	none	80	23–7	6–1
Apr. 6	at La Salle		Hank DeVincent Field • Philadelphia, PA	W 9–6	B. Dum (5–3)	C. Scanlon (2–2)	S. Ryan (4)	145	24–7	7–1
Apr. 7	at La Salle		Hank DeVincent Field • Philadelphia, PA	W 28–4	D. Dunn (1–0)	J. Ray (1–4)	none	134	25–7	8–1
Apr. 9	at Old Dominion* Rivalry		Metheny Ballpark • Norfolk, VA	L 5–6	M. Blanchard (1–0)	S. Ryan (2–2)	none	367	25–8	—
Apr. 12	Fordham		The Diamond • Richmond, VA	W 3–0	J. Sorokowski (2–1)	M. Mikulski (4–4)	B. Dum (2)	286	26–8	9–1
Apr. 13	Fordham		The Diamond • Richmond, VA	L 1–11	J. Stankiewicz (6–1)	C. Bafus (1–2)	none	318	26–9	9–2
Apr. 14	Fordham		The Diamond • Richmond, VA	W 8–3	C. Gillispie (3–0)	A. DiMeglio (2–3)	S. Ryan (5)	588	27–9	10–2
Apr. 16	Old Dominion* Rivalry		The Diamond • Richmond, VA	L 5–7	A. Holiday (3–1)	B. Dum (5–4)	T. Fisher (4)	603	27–10	—
Apr. 19	at Richmond Capital City Classic		Malcolm U. Pitt Field • Tuckahoe, VA	L 5–8	A. Balducci (2–2)	S. Ryan (2–3)	none	578	27–11	10–3
Apr. 20	at Richmond Capital City Classic		Malcolm U. Pitt Field • Tuckahoe, VA	W 16–3	J. Alkire (6–1)	K. Morrison (1–1)	none	642	28–11	11–3
Apr. 21	at Richmond Capital City Classic		Malcolm U. Pitt Field • Tuckahoe, VA	L 4–5 (11)	L. Looney (2–0)	B. Dum (5–5)	none	682	28–12	11–4
Apr. 23	at Maryland*		Shipley Field • College Park, MD	L 5–10	S. Fisher (1–1)	D. Watson (1–3)	none	431	28–13	—
Apr. 26	George Washington		The Diamond • Richmond, VA	L 1–2	T. Kuncl (1–1)	B. Dum (5–6)	none	308	28–14	11–5
Apr. 27	George Washington		The Diamond • Richmond, VA	W 4–3 (10)	S. Ryan (3–3)	J. Edwards (6–3)	none	611	29–14	12–5
Apr. 28	George Washington		The Diamond • Richmond, VA	W 9–7	D. Watson (4–1)	N. Woods (2–2)	C. Bafus (1)	537	30–14	13–5
Apr. 30	Virginia* Duel at the Diamond		The Diamond • Richmond, VA	L 2–3	D. Ortiz (4–0)	C. Gillispie (3–1)	K. Whitten (9)	3,890	30–15	—

May (9–2)
Date	Opponent	Rank	Site/stadium	Score	Win	Loss	Save	Attendance	Overall record	A10 Record
May 1	at VMI*		Gray–Minor Stadium • Lexington, VA	W 11–2	E. Chenier (6–0)	C. Johnston (0–3)	none	348	31–15	—
May 5	at Duke*		Jack Coombs Field • Durham, NC	L 1–2	B. Gross (6–3)	C. Gillispie (3–2)	T. Girard (8)	737	31–16	—
May 5	at Duke*		Jack Coombs Field • Durham, NC	W 5–3	S. Ryan (4–3)	J. Carey (3–1)	none	737	32–16	—
May 8	at Norfolk State*		Marty L. Miller Field • Norfolk, VA	W 12–4	D. Watson (5–1)	K. Alicea (2–4)	none	189	33–16	—
May 10	at Saint Joseph's		Smithson Field • Merion, PA	W 9–3	J. Sorokowski (3–1)	J. Divalerio (4–5)	B. Dum (3)	229	34–16	14–5
May 11	at Saint Joseph's		Smithson Field • Merion, PA	W 13–3	C. Gillispie (4–2)	L. Zimmerman (1–2)	D. Watson (2)	255	35–16	15–5
May 12	at Saint Joseph's		Smithson Field • Merion, PA	W 4–0	C. Bafus (2–2)	R. Devine (2–2)	S. Ryan (6)	311	36–16	16–5
May 14	at Virginia*		Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VA	L 7–8	K. Whitten (2–1)	B. Dum (5–7)	R. Wilson (1)	3,147	36–17	—
May 16	at George Mason Rivalry		Spuhler Field • Fairfax, VA	W 9–4	C. Gillispie (5–2)	P. Halligan (4–5)	S. Ryan (7)	119	37–17	17–5
May 17	at George Mason Rivalry		Spuhler Field • Fairfax, VA	W 3–2	C. Bafus (3–2)	B. Marconi (3–8)	B. Dum (4)	142	38–17	18–5
May 18	at George Mason Rivalry		Spuhler Field • Fairfax, VA	W 15–2	J. Sorokowski (4–1)	J. Dicesare (4–7)	none	324	39–17	19–5

Post-season (0–2)

Atlantic 10 Tournament (0–2)
Date	Opponent	Rank	Site/stadium	Score	Win	Loss	Save	Attendance	Overall record	Postseason Record
May 22	at (4) Fordham First round	(1)	Houlihan Park • The Bronx, NY	L 1–2	J. Stankiewicz (8–3)	C. Gillispie (5–3)	K. Martin (10)	0	39–18	0–1
May 23	vs. (5) Richmond Second round – Consolation bracket	(1)	Houlihan Park • The Bronx, NY	L 2–6	B. McGuigan (3–4)	J. Sorokowski (4–2)	J. Delarso (8)	668	39–19	0–2

Rankings

Ranking movements
**Legend:** ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked RV = Received votes
	Week
Poll	Pre	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	Final
Coaches'^[3]	—	—*	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Baseball America^[4]	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Collegiate Baseball^^[5]	RV	—	—	—	—	—	RV	RV	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
NCBWA†^[6]	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
D1Baseball^[7]	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—

^ Collegiate Baseball ranked 40 teams in their preseason poll, but only ranked 30 teams weekly during the season.
† NCBWA ranks 35 teams in their preseason poll, but only ranks 30 teams weekly during the season.
* A new poll was not released for this week, so for comparison purposes, the previous week's ranking is inserted in this week's slot.

References

^ "Atlantic 10 Conference baseball standings, teams, and schedules". D1Baseball. Retrieved June 4, 2019.
^ "2018 VCU Baseball Roster". VCU Athletics. Archived from the original on March 30, 2019. Retrieved April 6, 2019.
^ "NCAA Baseball - Coaches Poll". USA Today. Retrieved March 17, 2019.
^ "College Top 25". Baseball America. March 11, 2019. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
^ "2019 Collegiate Baseball Polls". baseballnews.com.
^ "NCBWA Top 30 Polls". sportswriters.net. Archived from the original on July 24, 2009. Retrieved March 17, 2019.
^ "D1 Baseball: Rankings". d1baseball.com. Retrieved March 17, 2019.

v t e VCU Rams baseball
Venue	Parker Field (1948–1984) The Diamond (1985–present)
Rivalries	George Mason Richmond
People	Head Coaches
Seasons	1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024