WASHINGTON – VCU captured its first Atlantic 10 Conference Baseball Championship Saturday with a 5-3 victory over Rhode Island at Tucker Field at Barcroft Park in Arlington, Va.

With the win, VCU earns the A-10’s automatic bid to the 2015 NCAA Tournament. The selection show takes place on Monday at Noon on ESPNU. VCU went a perfect 4-0 in the championship to improve to 37-22 on the season. Rhode Island finishes its season at 26-25-1.

Rhode Island got on the board first when Nick DeRegis led off the second inning with a base hit. He would steal second with two outs and came around to score on a single by Jordan Powell to make it 1-0.

An RBI double by Jimmy Kerrigan scored Darian Carpenter to tie the game at 1-1 in the fourth inning.

VCU loaded the bases with no outs in the fifth inning. After Rhode Island got a 1-2-3 double play to get two outs, Carpenter tripled to put VCU on top 3-1.

URI rallied in the seventh inning when Tim Caputo tripled home Connor Forman to make it 3-2 before Caputo scored the tying run on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Ryan Olmo.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, Brett Hileman reached on a two base error to start the inning. Hileman was lifted for pinch runner Haiden Lamb who came around to score on an RBI single by James Bunn. Bunn scored later in the inning to make it 5-3.

Olmo led off the ninth inning for Rhode Island with a double. Derek Gardella followed with a line shot to left field that Bunn made a diving catch on and was able to double Olmo off second base. With two outs, Chris Hess hit a deep fly ball to left field that VCU’s Logan Farrar made a diving catch on to seal the win for the Rams.

Matt Lees came out of the bullpen and tossed 1.2 innings of scores relief to pick up the win and improve to 6-2 on the year. Daniel Concepcion picked up his 13th save of the season after working the ninth.

2015 Atlantic 10 All-Championship Team

Michael Morman, Richmond

Robbie Metz, George Washington

Brandon Chapman, George Washington

Ryan Lowe, Davidson

Lee Miller, Davidson

Ryan Olmo, Rhode Island

Jordan Powell, Rhode Island

Steve Moyers, Rhode Island

Jojo Howie, VCU

Matt Davis, VCU

Walker Haymaker, VCU

Darian Carpenter, VCU (MOP)