WILMINGTON, N.C. - Senior Jason Appel had four hits and scored four runs as UNC Wilmington opened its Colonial Athletic Association series at Virginia Commonwealth with a 17-4 win over the Rams on Friday at The Diamond.

The Seahawks improved to 19-4 on the season and remained perfect in the CAA at 10-0. The Rams, meanwhile, dropped to 5-17 and 0-6 with their fifth straight loss. With the win, UNCW extended its nation-leading winning streak to 18 games, tying VCU (1998) and Old Dominion (2006) for the longest winning streak by a conference school.

Sophomore Seth Frank improved to 5-0, allowing three runs, one earned on three hits in 5 1/3 innings.

VCU senior Cody Epply (2-3) was tagged with the loss, allowing nine runs on 10 hits over five innings.

Sophomore Rhett Miller, senior Jes Snyder and sophomore Mike Rooney had three hits apiece as UNCW banged out a season-high tying 20 hits.

Nine batters made their way to the plate in a 6-run top of the first for the Seahawks. Senior Daniel Hargrave knocked in the first run with a RBI double into the left field corner and senior Mark Carver followed, two batters later, with a RBI single. Senior Justin Barefoot pushed it to 3-0 with a safety squeeze bunt and Snyder singled in two more with a bases loaded single. Barefoot came across with the final run of the inning when he scored on the front end of an attempted double steal.

UNCW added to its lead with two more runs in the second for an 8-0 lead. Appel tripled home Hargrave, who singled to lead off, and later scored on a sac fly by Carver.

Appel drove in his second run of the game with a single in the fourth to extend the lead to 9-0.

VCU broke through in the sixth against Frankoff and cut its deficit to 9-3 with three runs on one hits and a Seahawk error. Senior Kwame Evans knocked in two runs on a fielding error and freshman Joe Van Meter capped the scoring with a bases loaded fielder’s choice.

Miller got one of the runs back when he knocked in his second run of the game with his third hit of the evening in the top of the seventh.

A wild pitch and a sacrifice fly by freshman pinch hitter Alex Hill in the eighth gave UNCW a 12-4 lead.

A 5-run ninth pushed UNCW’s lead to 17-4. A bases-loaded double off the left center field wall by senior Nate Hall highlighted the inning.

The series continues on Saturday with a 2 p.m. start at The Diamond.

Notes: Allen Flood became UNCW’s all-time leader when he made his 96th career appearance … Appel extended his hitting streak to 11 games … Former Seahawk John Raynor made his first appearance for the Marlins tonight in an exhibition game against the New York Yankees … UNCW batted around in the first and ninth innings … UNCW scored 16 or more runs in a game for the fourth time this season … Rhett Miller tied a school record with seven at bats … The Seahawks have hit .455 over their last two games.  -Courtesy UNCW Sports Information Department  ( Photo Eric Bartsch )