RICHMOND (Interstat) — Chase Topolski pitched six innings of three-hit shutout ball and Dylan Winebrenner and Evan Wilson delivered timely hits as Richmond defeated VCU 2-1 on Friday afternoon in an Atlantic 10 game at Malcolm U. Pitt Field.

Topolski, who entered with a 5.40 earned run average after allowing five earned runs in his previous start against Dayton, allowed only three hits and no earned runs while striking out two and walking two. He lowered his season ERA to 4.70. Justin Gay worked 2⅓ innings of relief, giving up one run on one hit with one strikeout, and Dominic Ruggiero retired the final two batters in the ninth to earn the save.

The Spiders improved to 24-18 overall and 4-3 in the Atlantic 10. VCU fell to 22-19 and 4-6 in conference play. The game opened a three-game series between the in-state rivals, with the teams scheduled to play again Saturday and Sunday at Pitt Field.

Richmond struck first in the bottom of the first inning. After Wilson grounded out and Elko struck out, Winebrenner launched a solo home run to deep right field, giving the Spiders a 1-0 lead. It was his fourth homer of the season.

The Spiders added another run in the second. Wilson doubled to right field, scoring Rickabaugh, who had singled earlier in the inning, and sending Haught to third. That made the score 2-0.

VCU’s only run came in the eighth inning. With one out, Jacob Lee hit a solo home run to deep left field, cutting the deficit to 2-1. Lee finished 2-for-4 with a double and the homer. It was his team-leading eighth home run of the season.

The Rams had opportunities earlier but could not break through. In the first inning, DeFranco led off with a double to left field, but VCU stranded him. The Rams grounded into two double plays, including a caught-stealing in the third inning that erased a leadoff walk. In the fifth, they had two runners on with one out, but a flyout turned into an inning-ending double play when Horne was thrown out at third base.

VCU starter Elias Holbert pitched four innings, allowing two earned runs on three hits with four strikeouts. Cooper Campbell followed with 2⅔ scoreless innings, striking out two and allowing no hits. Dawson Newman worked 1⅓ perfect innings with two strikeouts.

Richmond’s offense managed seven hits. Winebrenner went 2-for-4 with a homer and an RBI, and Wilson was 1-for-4 with an RBI double. RJ Johnson Jr. doubled in the sixth but was thrown out trying to advance to third on a flyout.

The Spiders’ defense turned a key double play in the bottom of the sixth. With runners on first and second and one out, Aidan flied out to center field, and center fielder Flores threw to catcher Lee, who tagged out Johnson trying to advance to third.

VCU had lost four of its previous five games coming in, including a 8-6 loss to Virginia Tech on Tuesday. Richmond had won two of its last three, including a 12-11 walk-off victory against William & Mary on Tuesday.

Interstat’s game simulator projected a final score of Richmond 7, VCU 5, while Interstat’s ELO system gave VCU a 51.70 percent probability of winning.