RICHMOND, Virginia - Tyler Molinaro's two-run single in the eighth inning broke a 4-all deadlock as UNCW topped host VCU, 9-6, in Colonial Athletic Association baseball action on Friday at The Diamond.

The Seahawks improved to a conference-leading 6-1 with the road win and moved above the .500 mark with an 11-10 record overall. VCU, meanwhile, dropped its fifth straight and fell to 11-11 and 2-5.

VCU rallied from a 4-0 first inning deficit to tie the game in the sixth and it stayed that way till the eighth when Molinaro delivered his third hit on the night, this one with the bases loaded against reliever Seth Cutler-Voltz (2-2), to score two and give UNCW a 6-4 lead. Andrew Cain later singled in the third run of the inning to make it a 7-4 advantage.

Jack Lane (2-0) picked up the win in relief of UNCW starter Tyler McSwain. William Prince earned his second save of the season allowing just one hit in the ninth.

Molinaro joined Matt Campbell and Jake Koenig with three-hit nights as UNCW collected 14 hits on the game. It was the Seahawks fourth straight double digit hit game and the ninth time in their last 11 games they've done so.

Chris Ayers led VCU with four hits while Joey Cujas, the CAA's leading hitter, went 2-for-5.

UNCW battered VCU starter Kyle Haynes for four runs on five hits in the first inning. Drew Farber capped the early outburst with a two-run double.

Haynes, though, would recover from the tough start to shutdown the Seahawks through the sixth innings. He finished with seven strikeouts, walked three and allowed nine hits.

The Rams rallied with two in the fourth against McSwain and two more in the sixth against Lane and tied it up on a RBI double by Ayers.

VCU tried to rally in the 8th with two runs to make it a 7-6 game. Taylor Buran scored the first run and the second came in on a UNCW throwing error.

UNCW answered in the top of the ninth with two runs to restore a three run lead at 9-6. Michael Bass doubled in the first run and would score with two outs from second base on an infield hit off the bat of Campbell.

The series continues on Saturday with first-pitch slated for 3 p.m.