KINGSTON, R.I. (Interstat) — Virginia Commonwealth rallied from a two-run deficit with four unearned runs in the seventh inning and added two more in the ninth to outlast Rhode Island 18-16 on Saturday afternoon and evening in an Atlantic 10 slugfest.

The two Rams teams combined for 34 runs on 30 hits in a game that lasted well into the evening. VCU improved to 36-23 overall and 16-11 in conference play, while Rhode Island fell to 26-30 and 13-14.

VCU catcher Jacob Lee delivered a pivotal three-run home run in the second inning, but the game’s most important sequence came in the top of the seventh. Trailing 12-10 after Rhode Island had scored in five consecutive innings, the visitors capitalized on two Rhode Island errors to push four runs across without a hit leaving the infield.

With one out, Quinn Maher singled and advanced to third on a base hit by Jake Adelman. Dante DeFranco then reached on a throwing error by shortstop Addison Moroney, scoring Maher. One batter later, Nick Petite reached on a two-base error by second baseman Scott Penney that allowed Adelman and DeFranco to score. Cooper Lethert followed with a single to center that plated Petite, putting VCU ahead 14-12.

Rhode Island answered immediately. Catcher Danny Leikus, who finished 3-for-5 with two home runs and five RBIs, led off the bottom of the seventh with a solo shot to left-center. Center fielder Ryan Henschel followed with a solo homer to deep left, tying the game 14-14.

VCU regained the lead in the eighth. Lethert singled through the left side with two outs, scoring Maher and Adelman to make it 16-14. Rhode Island again tied it in the bottom half. Moroney doubled and scored on a wild pitch, and Leikus singled home Botti to knot the score 16-16.

The deciding runs came in the top of the ninth. Nick Flores was hit by a pitch, stole second, and scored on a wild pitch by Rhode Island reliever Joe Sabbath. After Maher was also hit by a pitch, Maher advanced to third on a wild pitch and Warden scored on a passed ball, giving VCU an 18-16 advantage.

VCU closer Cooper Campbell worked a scoreless ninth, striking out one and allowing no hits over 1⅓ innings to earn the save.

Leikus led all hitters with his two homers and five RBIs. For VCU, first baseman Quinn Maher went 3-for-4 with a triple and an RBI, left fielder Nick Flores was 3-for-5 with an RBI, and DeFranco drove in two runs. Lee’s homer highlighted a five-run second inning for VCU, which also benefited from two unearned runs on a throwing error by third baseman Jack King in that frame.

Rhode Island’s Scott Penney homered and drove in two runs, and Henschel also homered and had three hits. Rhode Island used six pitchers, with starter Jack Houchens lasting only 1⅓ innings. Sabbath took the loss after allowing two runs in the ninth.

The win avenged VCU’s 5-4 loss to Rhode Island the previous day and gave the Rams a split in the three-game series. No betting line or over-under was available for this contest.