NORFOLK, Va. – Alex Gransback had three hits and Josh Simon drove in three runs as Virginia Commonwealth sent Norfolk State to its fifth straight loss, 8-3, on Wednesday at Marty L. Miller Field.

VCU (3-5) scored twice in the first inning and never looked back, as three Ram pitchers held the Spartans (3-5) to six hits.

Gransback singled with one out in the first and scored on Darian Carpenter’s RBI double. Logan Farrar followed with a run-scoring single to give VCU the early 2-0 lead.

Gransback then led off the third with another single and scored on a two-run double by Zac Ching. Simon tacked on a sacrifice fly in the inning to push the VCU lead to 5-0.

The Rams scored an unearned run in the fourth, then stretched their advantage to 8-0 in the seventh on Simon’s two-run double.

The Spartans scored three times in the bottom of the eighth. Adam Collins singled. After a fielder’s choice and a flyout, pinch hitter Dion Jordan picked up his first career hit with a single to center. Brian Beard followed with a two-run triple to deep center field, then scored on a two-out VCU error.

Michael Dailey (2-1) earned the win for VCU, allowing just three hits over six shutout innings. Freshman Jack Howell (0-1) was charged with the loss for NSU after allowing five runs in two-plus innings.

Beard, Collins, Jordan, Ismael Herrera, Terrence Pinkston and Justin Burrell had the six hits for NSU. Gransback went 3-for-4 with Carpenter and Ching both recording a pair of hits for the Rams.

The Spartans take to the road for their next seven games, beginning with their first-ever games against an SEC team this weekend at the University of Tennessee. The teams plays a three-game series in Knoxville, Friday through Sunday.

Originally published at nsuspartans.com