RICHMOND (Interstat) — Zach Peters tossed four hitless innings of relief and the VCU Rams held off the Richmond Spiders 2-1 on Sunday afternoon at Malcolm U. Pitt Field, salvaging the finale of a three-game Atlantic 10 series.

Peters, who entered with a 4-2 record and had allowed two earned runs in a loss to George Washington on April 18, struck out six batters without surrendering a hit over four innings. He did not walk a batter. The performance came after VCU dropped the first two games of the series by scores of 8-4 and 2-1.

The Rams improved to 23-20 overall and 8-10 in the Atlantic 10. Richmond fell to 25-19 and 9-9.

VCU scored both of its runs in the top of the first inning, capitalizing on a Richmond error. Shortstop Dante DeFranco led off the game with a double down the left-field line. After a fielder’s choice and a flyout, third baseman Jack Flores reached on a fielding error by Richmond shortstop Christian Haught, allowing DeFranco to score from second base. The run was unearned. A groundout moved the runners into scoring position, but a second groundout ended the inning with VCU leading 2-0.

Richmond cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the third. With two outs and runners at first and second, left fielder RJ Johnson Jr. singled to center to load the bases. Third baseman Jake Schaller laid down a bunt single, loading the bases again. VCU starter Everett Vaughan was replaced by Dawson Newman, but Newman committed a fielding error on a ground ball from Jack Rickabaugh that allowed a run to score. The error made it 2-1, but Newman struck out the next batter and got a groundout to escape further damage.

The Rams added an insurance run in the top of the fourth. Second baseman Alec Warden doubled to left field, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a groundout by catcher Dante Adelman. That run proved decisive as the Spiders mounted multiple threats but could not push across the tying run.

Richmond outhit VCU 9-2 but stranded seven runners. The Spiders had a runner on second with two outs in the seventh but could not bring him home. VCU’s bullpen combination of Newman, Peters and Everett Vaughan allowed only one earned run on five hits over eight innings. Newman worked 2 2/3 hitless innings with two strikeouts, and Vaughan allowed one earned run on two hits in 2 1/3 innings with one strikeout.

Richmond starter Jackson Hinchliffe took the loss despite a strong outing. He allowed two runs, one earned, on two hits over seven innings with one strikeout. Bijan Anvar and Dominic Ruggiero combined for two scoreless innings of relief.

Offensively, Richmond got three hits from Johnson Jr. and two from right fielder Evan Wilson. VCU’s only hits came from DeFranco and Warden, each with a double.

The Rams had lost four of their previous five games entering Sunday, including a 7-6 defeat at home to Virginia Tech on April 21. Richmond had won three of its last four, including the first two games of this series.

VCU will travel to Old Dominion on Tuesday before hosting Saint Louis for a three-game set starting May 1. Richmond visits Davidson for a three-game series beginning May 1.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Richmond 7, VCU 5.