Williamsburg, Va.
- The William and Mary Tribe baseball team fell in a back-and-forth game to the
Fairfield Stags on Sunday afternoon at Plumeri Park, 4-3. With the series split, the Tribe's record
falls to 2-7 on the season, while Fairfield improves to 2-2 on the year.
Tallying RBIs for the Tribe in the loss were sophomore Ryan
Williams and freshman Ryan Lindemuth, while Tadd Bower went 2-for-4 on the day. On the mound, sophomore Brett Koehler was
solid despite taking the loss, pitching seven innings, allowing three earned
runs while striking out five. Senior
Reid Killen continued his good start to the year, throwing two scoreless
innings in relief, striking out one.
The Stags would take an early 1-0 lead in the top of the
first, taking advantage of a Tribe error to score an unearned run. The College would tie the game, however, in
the bottom of the second.
Senior Jonathan Slattery started the inning off with a soft
double down the left-field line to get into scoring position. Slattery would then get to within 90 feet of
home plate, advancing to third on a wild pitch.
Lindemuth would cash in on the opportunity, bringing Slattery home with
a single up the middle, tying the game at 1-1 after two full.
The game would not remained tied for long, as the Stags
would score a pair of runs in the top of the third thanks to a Tucker Nathans
two-run double. Heading to the bottom of
the frame, Fairfield clung to a 3-1 lead.
The College would answer in the bottom of the third, getting
its first three batters on to load the bases with no one out for Williams. Williams would plate freshman Kevin Nutter
from third on a sacrifice fly to center, but the Stags' center fielder saved
runs with a diving catch on the play, limiting the damage to just one. Slattery
would end the inning with a double play, bringing the score to 3-2 Fairfield
after three innings.
The Stags would push their lead back to a pair with a run in
the top of the fifth, but the Green and Gold would answer again in the bottom
of the seventh.
Just like in the third inning, the Tribe would get its first
three batters on base, thanks to a single from freshman Devin White and two
walks. Pinch-hitter Derrick Osteen would
plate pinch runner Kevin Alas from third, but it would come at the cost of two
outs, as Osteen grounded into a 6-4-3 double play. At the end of seven frames, Fairfield held on
to a 4-3 lead.
In the eighth inning, the Tribe would get a runner on after
Slattery drew a one-out walk, but the frame would come to a close after sophomore
Ryan Brown would be called out on a double play after a very close play at
first. The Tribe would go 1-2-3 in the
ninth inning and would fall to Fairfield, 4-3.
The William and Mary Tribe baseball team will hit the road
for a mid-week game against the No. 10-ranked University of Virginia Cavaliers
on Tuesday, March 1. First pitch is
scheduled for 3 p.m. in Charlottesville, Virginia.
