WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – Behind a career-high five RBIs from senior designated hitter Jackson Shaver and eight shutout innings from senior RHP Brett Koehler, the William and Mary baseball team stormed past Hofstra, 9-1, on Saturday afternoon at Plumeri Park. The Green and Gold jumped out in front early and never looked backed en route to improving its overall record to 30-17 on the season and 13-7 in Colonial Athletic Association play. With the loss, Hofstra falls to 23-23 on the season and 8-12 in league action.
Koehler, who upped is record to 5-3 on the year, worked eight scoreless innings as the Glen Gardner, N.J., native finished the afternoon scattering just four hits to go along with six strikeouts and no walks. In 78.1 innings of work this season, Koehler has allowed just five walks. Freshman RHP Mitchell Aker, who made his 21st appearance of the season on Saturday afternoon, worked a perfect ninth inning.
Shaver led the way at the plate with five RBIs and three hits. Sophomore first baseman Michael Katz finished the day with three runs batted in, one hit and a run scored. Freshman catcher Ryan Hissey went 2-for-4 with three runs scored and an RBI, while senior center fielder Ryan Brown connected on three base knocks to go along with two runs scored. Junior third baseman Willie Shaw went 2-for-5 with a run scored, while junior second baseman Ryan Lindemuth and freshman left fielder Jonathan Sarty each finished the day with a run scored. Senior shortstop Ryan Williams capped the offensive output with a hit.
The Tribe started strong on Saturday afternoon as it posted a four-spot in the opening inning. Brown led the contest off with a double to right center field and advanced to third following Shaw's single to right field. Katz proceeded to plate the pair with a bases clearing double down the right field line as W&M took a 2-0 advantage. Hissey gave the Green and Gold a 3-0 advantage after his double down the right field line pushed across Katz. W&M's final run of the frame culminated on Shaver's single into right field, which brought around Hissey from second.
Hofstra plated a run in the top half of the third as it cut the deficit to 4-1. Junior left fielder Kenny Jackson drove in senior second baseman Austin Nyman on a sacrifice fly out to center field.
W&M countered with two runs in the fifth as it pushed the advantage to 6-1. With two outs and Lindemuth on third followed by Hissey on second, Shaver plated the duo with a single to left field, which propelled W&M to a five-run cushion.
The Green and Gold plated two runs in the seventh and one in the eighth, which made the final tally 9-1. In the bottom of the seventh, Shaver was at it again as his two-out double down the left field line brought around Sarty and Hissey for the Tribe's seventh and eighth runs of the contest. Katz pushed across W&M's ninth run of the afternoon in the eighth after his sacrifice fly out to right field was deep enough to score Brown from third.
With today's victory the Tribe has now posted 30 or more wins on eight occasions since 2000. Additionally, W&M upped its home record at Plumeri Park to 20-6 this year.
The series concludes tomorrow at Plumeri Park with the first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. Fans can follow the action online at TribeAthletics.com with live audio and stats.
