2016 VCU Rams baseball team

The 2016 VCU Rams baseball team is the program's 46th season fielding a varsity baseball program, and their fourth season the Atlantic 10 Conference.

2016 VCU Rams baseball
Conference	Atlantic 10 Conference
2016 record	38–19 (15–7 A-10)
Head coach	Shawn Stiffler (5th season)
Assistant coaches	Kurt Elbin (4th season) Steve Hay (2nd season) ML Morgan (2nd season)
Home stadium	The Diamond

2016 Atlantic 10 Conference baseball standings
	Conf									Overall
Team	W		L		T		PCT			W		L		T		PCT
Rhode Island  ‍†‍‡‍^y	18	–	6	–	0		.750			31	–	25	–	0		.554
VCU  ‍‍‍	15	–	7	–	0		.682			38	–	19	–	0		.667
Saint Joseph's  ‍‍‍	15	–	9	–	0		.625			31	–	23	–	0		.574
Saint Louis  ‍‍‍	15	–	9	–	0		.625			25	–	31	–	0		.446
Fordham  ‍‍‍	14	–	10	–	0		.583			29	–	29	–	0		.500
Davidson  ‍‍‍	11	–	11	–	0		.500			28	–	26	–	0		.519
George Washington  ‍‍‍	12	–	12	–	0		.500			24	–	33	–	0		.421
UMass  ‍‍‍	11	–	13	–	0		.458			18	–	27	–	0		.400
St. Bonaventure  ‍‍‍	11	–	13	–	0		.458			26	–	22	–	1		.541
Richmond  ‍‍‍	11	–	13	–	0		.458			28	–	24	–	0		.538
Dayton  ‍‍‍	8	–	16	–	0		.333			19	–	36	–	0		.345
George Mason  ‍‍‍	7	–	17	–	0		.292			19	–	35	–	0		.352
La Salle  ‍‍‍	6	–	18	–	0		.250			15	–	39	–	0		.278
† – Conference champion ‡ – Tournament champion y – Invited to the NCAA Tournament As of June 4, 2016[1]; Rankings from Collegiate Baseball

Led by Shawn Stiffler for his third season, the Rams had their most successful baseball season in program history. The Rams advanced to the NCAA Super Regional for the first time ever, and won their first ever Atlantic 10 Conference Baseball Tournament. It was the program's return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2010.

Personnel

2016 roster

2016 VCU Rams Roster[2]
	Pitchers 18 - Tanner Winters - Sophomore 20 - Sean Thompson - Sophomore 23 - Matt Jamer - Junior 24 - Eric Neiman - Freshman 25 - Benjamin Dum - Freshman 28 - Jonathan Ebersole - Junior 30 - Michael Dailey - Freshman 31 - Brooks Vial - Junior 32 - Sam Donko - Junior 34 - Matt Oxner - Junior 35 - Luke Crabb - Junior 36 - Travis Reapsome - Sophomore 37 - David Mervis - Freshman 38 - Garrett Pearson - Sophomore 40 - Jack Alkire - Freshman		Infielders 2 - Cooper Mickelson - Junior 4 - Daane Berezo - Sophomore 7 - Brody Cook - Freshman 10 - Jeff Welch - Sophomore 13 - Zach Ching - Freshman 15 - Darian Carpenter - Junior 17 - Matt Davis - Junior 26 - Mitchel Lacey - Sophomore Utility 8 - Logan Farrar - Junior 14 - Haiden Lamb - Sophomore		Catchers 11 - Walker Haymaker - Senior 16 - Nick Rabat - Junior 19 - Brett Hileman - RS Sophomore 27 - Dylan Isquirdo - Junior Outfielders 1 - James Bunn - Senior 3 - Jimmy Kerrigan - Senior 9 - Cody Acker - Senior 12 - Alex Gransback - Junior 21 - Nick Atkinson - Freshman

Schedule

Legend
	VCU win
	VCU loss
	Postponement/cancellation

2016 VCU Rams Baseball Game Log[3]
Regular Season
February (3–3) # Date Opponent Site/Stadium Score Overall Record A10 Record 1 Feb 19 at Kennesaw State Fred Stillwell Stadium • Kennesaw, GA W 15–11 1–0 – 2 Feb 20 at Georgia State Georgia State Baseball Complex • Decatur, GA W 8–6 2–0 – 3 Feb 21 at Georgia Tech Russ Chandler Stadium • Atlanta, GA L 1–9 2–1 – 4 Feb 26 vs. Eastern Kentucky UNCW Tournament Brooks Field • Wilmington, NC L 2–12 2–2 – 5 Feb 27 vs. South Dakota State UNCW Tournament Brooks Field • Wilmington, NC W 14–8 3–2 – 6 Feb 28 at UNC Wilmington UNCW Tournament Brooks Field • Wilmington, NC L 4–14 3–3 –
March (13–6) # Date Opponent Site/Stadium Score Overall Record A10 Record 7 Mar 1 at Longwood Bolding Stadium • Farmville, VA L 9–10 3–4 – 8 Mar 5 Marist The Diamond • Richmond, VA W 3–0 4–4 – 9 Mar 6 Marist The Diamond • Richmond, VA W 7–6 (13) 5–4 – 10 Mar 7 Marist The Diamond • Richmond, VA W 3–0 6–4 – 11 Mar 9 Old Dominion The Diamond • Richmond, VA L 1–3 6–5 – 12 Mar 11 Wagner The Diamond • Richmond, VA W 3–2 7–5 – 13 Mar 12 Wagner The Diamond • Richmond, VA W 9–5 8–5 – 14 Mar 13 Wagner The Diamond • Richmond, VA W 4–3 9–5 – 15 Mar 15 at VMI Gray–Minor Stadium • Lexington, VA W 11–7 10–5 – 16 Mar 16 Monmouth The Diamond • Richmond, VA L 4–12 10–6 – 17 Mar 18 at Charleston Patriot's Point • Charleston, SC W 2–1 11–6 – 18 Mar 19 at Charleston Patriots Point • Charleston, SC W 4–3 12–6 – 19 Mar 20 at Charleston Patriots Point • Charleston, SC L 4–7 12–7 – 20 Mar 22 Longwood The Diamond • Richmond, VA W 5–2 13–7 – 21 Mar 25 St. Bonaventure The Diamond • Richmond, VA W 6–5 14–7 1–0 22 Mar 26 St. Bonaventure The Diamond • Richmond, VA W 3–2 (12) 15–7 2–0 23 Mar 27 St. Bonaventure The Diamond • Richmond, VA W 4–1 16–7 3–0 24 Mar 29 at Maryland Shipley Field • College Park, MD L 1–8 16–8 – 25 Mar 30 Maryland The Diamond • Richmond, VA L 1–7 16–9 –
April (13–6) # Date Opponent Site/Stadium Score Overall Record A10 Record 26 Apr 1 Dayton The Diamond • Richmond, VA W 9–2 17–9 4–0 27 Apr 2 Dayton The Diamond • Richmond, VA L 3–8 17–10 4–1 28 Apr 3 Dayton The Diamond • Richmond, VA W 5–3 18–10 5–1 29 Apr 5 #14 Virginia The Diamond • Richmond, VA W 7–5 19–10 – 30 Apr 8 at Rhode Island Bill Beck Field • Kingston, RI L 1–5 19–11 5–2 31 Apr 9 at Rhode Island Bill Beck Field • Kingston, RI L 3–7 19–12 5–3 32 Apr 10 at Rhode Island Bill Beck Field • Kingston, RI W 7–3 20–12 6–3 33 Apr 12 Norfolk State The Diamond • Richmond, VA W 4–2 21–12 – 34 Apr 13 at William & Mary Plumeri Park • Williamsburg, VA W 12–5 22–12 – 35 Apr 15 at La Salle Hank DeVincent Field • Philadelphia, PA W 4–1 23–12 7–3 36 Apr 16 at La Salle Hank DeVincent Field • Philadelphia, PA W 9–1 24–12 8–3 37 Apr 17 at La Salle Hank DeVincent Field • Philadelphia, PA W 2–1 25–12 9–3 38 Apr 20 at #16 Virginia Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VA W 11–5 26–12 – 39 Apr 22 Richmond (Capital City Classic) The Diamond • Richmond, VA L 4–5 (10) 26–13 9–4 40 Apr 23 Richmond (Capital City Classic) The Diamond • Richmond, VA W 2–1 27–13 10–4 41 Apr 24 Richmond (Capital City Classic) The Diamond • Richmond, VA L 4–6 (11) 27–14 10–5 42 Apr 26 VMI The Diamond • Richmond, VA W 8–5 (7) 28–14 – 43 Apr 29 at George Washington Barcroft Park • Arlington, VA W 3–0 29–14 11–5 44 Apr 30 at George Washington Barcroft Park • Arlington, VA L 3–4 29–15 11–6
May (7–2) # Date Opponent Site/Stadium Score Overall Record A10 Record 45 May 1 at George Washington Barcroft Park • Arlington, VA W 8–7 30–15 12–6 46 May 3 at North Carolina Boshamer Stadium • Chapel Hill, NC L 0–11 30–16 – 47 May 6 Saint Louis The Diamond • Richmond, VA W 1–0 31–16 13–6 48 May 7 Saint Louis The Diamond • Richmond, VA W 5–1 32–16 14–6 49 May 8 Saint Louis The Diamond • Richmond, VA W 7–6 33–16 15–6 50 May 13 at Presbyterian Presbyterian Baseball Complex • Clinton, SC W 3–2 34–16 – 51 May 14 at Presbyterian Presbyterian Baseball Complex • Clinton, SC W 13–2 35–16 – 52 May 15 at Presbyterian Presbyterian Baseball Complex • Clinton, SC W 10–7 36–16 – 53 May 17 at Old Dominion Bud Metheny Baseball Complex • Norfolk, VA Cancelled – – 54 May 19 at Davidson T. Henry Wilson, Jr. Field • Davidson, NC Cancelled – – 55 May 20 at Davidson T. Henry Wilson, Jr. Field • Davidson, NC L 5–11 36–17 15–7 56 May 20 at Davidson T. Henry Wilson, Jr. Field • Davidson, NC Cancelled – –
Postseason
Atlantic 10 Tournament # Date Opponent Site/Stadium Score Overall Record Postseason Record 57 May 25 George Washington First round Houlihan Park • The Bronx, NY W 5–1 37–17 1–0 58 May 26 Davidson Second round – Winner's bracket Houilhan Park • The Bronx, NY L 3–7 37–18 1–1 59 May 26 George Washington Second round – Loser's bracket Houilhan Park • The Bronx, NY W 12–4 38–18 2–1 60 May 27 St. Joseph's Quarterfinals – Loser's bracket Houilhan Park • The Bronx, NY L 1–13 38–19 2–2

Rankings

Main article: 2016 NCAA Division I baseball rankings

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking. ██ Decrease in ranking.
NR = Not ranked. RV = Received votes. т = Tied with team above or below. ( ) = First place votes.

	Week
Poll	Pre	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	Final
Coaches'[4]	NR	NR*	NR*	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR
Baseball America[5]	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR
Collegiate Baseball^[6]	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR
NCBWA†[7]	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR
D1Baseball

^ Collegiate Baseball ranks 40 teams in their preseason poll, but only ranks 30 teams weekly during the season.
† NCBWA ranks 35 teams in their preseason poll, but only ranks 30 teams weekly during the season.
* 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

1. "Atlantic 10 Conference - 2016 Standings". d1Baseball.com. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
2. "2016 VCU Baseball Roster". VCU Athletics.
3. "2016 VCU Rams baseball schedule". VCU Rams. Retrieved March 2, 2016.
4. "USA TODAY/ESPN Top 25 coaches' baseball poll".
5. "Baseball America College: Top 25". Baseball America.
6. "2016 NCAA DIV I Baseball Polls". Collegiate Baseball Newspaper.
7. "NCBWA Division I poll". National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.