RICHMOND, Va. - Host VCU (6-8) took a no-hitter into the eighth inning and held off Binghamton baseball (3-7) 3-1 in the series opener Friday afternoon at The Diamond. 

Down 3-0, BU scored a run in the ninth inning and had two runners on before its rally stalled. Senior center fielder CJ Krowiak opened the frame by reaching on an infield fielding error. A groundout moved Krowiak to second and then the Rams pitcher hit both freshman first baseman Shane Marshall and senior catcher Jason Agresti to load the bases. Senior designated hitter Luke Tevlin brought in Binghamton's lone run with an RBI fielder's choice groundout. But another groundout stranded runners on first and third and ended the game. 

VCU scored single runs in the second, third and fifth innings to account for its offense. The Bearcats, meanwhile, were no-hit through 7.1 innings until sophomore third baseman Alex Baratta hit a one-out single in the eighth inning through the left side. Binghamton hitters struck out 11 times. 

Sophomore reliever Ben Anderson pitched 3.0 innings of no-hit, shutout ball after replacing senior starter Jacob Wloczewski (L, 0-3). Junior lefty Robert Brown tossed a clean eighth inning. 

The Rams used a leadoff single and two-out double to open the scoring in the second inning. One inning later, a two-out double and infield error resulted in an unearned run. Binghamton's defense held it there when junior left fielder Anthony Meduri fielded a single and threw out the VCU baserunner trying to score from second. In the fifth, a leadoff walk, stolen base and RBI double gave the Rams their third run. 

Binghamton was outhit 6-1 and left five runners stranded. 

The teams will play a doubleheader beginning at noon on Saturday to conclude the three-game set.