Newark, Del. - The William and Mary Tribe baseball team swept a critical doubleheader on Saturday to win the season series against the Delaware Blue Hens in Newark, Delaware.  The Tribe won game one, 6-0, before winning game two, 4-3.  With the sweep, the College improves its record to 13-14 overall and to 7-5 in the CAA, while Delaware falls to 12-12 and to 6-3 in conference play.

Senior Logan Billbrough had the finest pitching performance of his career for the Tribe in game one on Saturday.  Billbrough tossed a complete game, one-hit shutout.  Billbrough was brilliant on the mound, facing only 28 batters, just one over the minimum.  The Miami, Florida, native struck out four batters while walking a pair in winning his second game of the season.

Junior Tadd Bower hit a grand slam in the top of the fourth inning to lead the Tribe's offense in game one, while senior Jonathan Slattery also drove in a run for the College.  Classmate Derrick Osteen also had a nice game, going 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored.

The Blue Hens would get their only hit in the ballgame on a controversial call in the bottom of the second inning.  With one away, UD's Nick Ferdinand rolled a grounder towards first.  Bower attempted to back hand the grounder but was unable to glove it, allowing the ball to get past him.  Billbrough relatively cruised through the rest of the ball game, with a runner not even getting in to scoring position.

After three quick, scoreless innings in game one, the Tribe's offense exploded in the top of the fourth with four runs to take the early lead over the Blue Hens.  The inning started with three straight singles from Osteen, Buster Gean , and Slattery to load the bases for Bower.

Swinging at the first pitch, Bower drilled an off-speed offering over the right field fence for a bases-clearing, grand slam.  The grand slam is the first for Bower in his Green and Gold career and the first hit by the Tribe since teammate Chris Forsten hit a grand slam against Massachusetts last season on March 21.  After UD failed to score in the bottom of the frame, the College led the Blue Hens, 4-0, after four complete.

In the top of the fifth, the Tribe tacked on a pair of runs.  After Ryan Lindemuth reached on a fielder's choice, an Osteen double, and an intentional walk to Gean, the bases were once again loaded, this time for Slattery.  On a 2-2 pitch, Slattery grounded to third.  The UD third baseman fired to second to get one out but on the turn, the Delaware second baseman fired the ball out of the park attempting to turn the double play, allowing two runs to come across the plate.  After another scoreless bottom of the half, the Tribe led the Blue Hens, 6-0.  The six-run lead proved to be plenty for Billbrough and the Tribe, with the College taking game one of the doubleheader, 6-0.

In game two, Bower had the game-winning RBI single in the top of the eight inning, while Forsten, Slattery, and junior Stephen Arcure all drove in runs for the College.  Osteen went 2-for-4 in game two with a run scored.

On the mound in game two, junior Cole Shain had a solid start, going five innings.  Shain surrendered three runs, two earned, on five hits.  Out of the bullpen, sophomore John Farrell extended his streak of scoreless innings to three, pitching a perfect sixth inning.  Sophomore Brett Koehler pitched the final three innings to earn his third win of the season.

After Delaware stuck for a run in the bottom of the first in game two, the Tribe responded in the top of the second to tie the game at 1-1.  After drawing a leadoff walk, Bower was able to move all the way to third base on two separate wild pitches.  After a strikeout, Forsten took the first pitch he saw to left field on the fly, deep enough to score Bower from third, tying the game at 1-1.

In the bottom of the third, the Blue Hens took the lead back on a two-run homer off the bat of third baseman Pat Dameron, giving Delaware a 3-2 advantage over the Tribe.

After two scoreless frames, the Tribe cut the deficit in half in the top of the sixth.  After a leadoff walk to Lindemuth, Osteen joined him on base on a bunt single to the right side.  Next up was the pinch hitter Arcure, who lined a double down the right-field line, easily scoring Lindemuth from second.  After six complete innings, the Blue Hens were clinging to a 3-2 lead.

In the top of the eighth, Lindemuth led off the frame with a single through the left side.  After an Osteen double to left, runners were on second and third.  After a strikeout to Arcure, Slattery laid down a great bunt on a safety squeeze, allowing Lindemuth to come across, tying the game at 3-3.  With two down and a runner on third, Bower came through with a clutch hit for the College, singling through the right side of the infield to give the Tribe a 4-3 lead after seven and a half innings.

Koehler continued his dominance on the mound for the Tribe, pitching the final three innings to earn the win.  Koehler retired the last seven Delaware batters, striking out one in his three innings of work.

The William and Mary Tribe baseball team will next be in action on Wednesday, March 30, when the College will take on the Norfolk State Spartans in Williamsburg.  First pitch at Plumeri Park is scheduled for 7 p.m.