Williamsburg, Va. -
The
William and Mary Tribe baseball team clinched a critical, three-game series
with the VCU Rams on Saturday afternoon, defeating the Rams 8-3. With the victory, the Tribe improves its
record on the season to 21-20 and to 11-9 in CAA play, while VCU falls to 15-22
on the year and to 7-10 in conference action.
Sophomore Ryan Williams
hit a three-run home run in the third,
while junior Tadd Bower
had a two-run shot in the sixth to lead the Tribe's
offense. Sophomore Ryan Brown
went
3-for-4 with a run scored, while senior Derrick Osteen
drove in a run for the College
in the win.
Senior Logan Billbrough
had another solid start for the
Tribe on Saturday, going seven innings and allowing just two runs. Billbrough struck out seven batters while
walking just one in improving his record to 5-2 on the year.
On a beautiful Saturday afternoon at Plumeri Park, the Rams
were the first team to push across runs, scoring twice in the top of the second
to take an early 2-0 lead over the Tribe.
In the bottom of the third, however, the Tribe answered back
with a big, four-run inning. With two
outs already in the inning, the Tribe was able to load the bases with its next
three batters, drawing two walks and getting hit by a pitch. With Williams at the dish, the Tribe scored
its first run of the game when the VCU pitcher threw a ball in to center field
on a failed pickoff attempt.
With runners on first and second and the score now 2-1,
Williams gave the Tribe the lead with a monster, three-run homer over the left
field fence. Williams' team-leading
fifth home run of the season gave the Tribe a 4-2 lead after three innings.
After two scoreless frames from both teams, the Tribe added
to its lead over the Rams with another four-run inning. After leadoff singles from Brown and
sophomore Derek Lowe
and a sacrifice bunt, runners were on second and third for
Osteen. With the safety squeeze play on,
Osteen bunted to the right side of the infield, with his bunt being fielded by
the VCU first baseman. His throw was not
fielded cleanly by the second baseman covering first, allowing two runs to
score on the error.
With Osteen on first, Bower did not hesitate at the plate,
blasting a two-run homer over the fence in right-center field. Bower's fourth home run of the season gave
the Green and Gold an 8-2 lead after six complete innings.
The Rams would score a run in the top of the ninth but were
unable to get anything after that.
Sophomore John Farrell
, who got the final six outs for the College,
struck out the final batter of the game to secure the 8-3 victory, and the
series, for the Green and Gold.
The William and Mary Tribe baseball team will conclude its
three-game series with the VCU Rams on Sunday, April 24. First pitch at Plumeri Park is scheduled for
1 p.m.
