HARRISONBURG, Va. (April 12, 2014)—The William and Mary baseball team earned a 13-5 victory at James Madison in the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon.
With the victory, W&M improves to 21-12 overall and 5-1 in conference play, while James Madison drops to 11-20 overall and 3-3 in league action.
RHP Jason Inghram earned the victory and improved to 6-1 on the season, as he allowed just one earned run on eight hits and no walks while striking out six. LHP Aaron Hoover (0-5) suffered the loss after surrendering five earned runs in 3.1 innings.
Nine different Tribe players scored, as the squad posted a double-digit run total for the 13th time this season. Additionally, the College has now totaled 138 runs during its last 11 weekend games (12.5 runs per game).
First baseman Kevin Nutter, right fielder Nick Thompson and second baseman Ryan Lindemuth all drove in three runs apiece to lead the impressive offensive performance, while Lindemuth also hit his sixth home run of the season. Nutter went 2-for-2 at the plate with a pair of runs scored, while third baseman Kevin Casey contributed with a 3-for-4 effort and two runs scored. Shortstop Tim Hoehn and centerfielder Derek Lowe scored a pair of runs apiece.
Lindemuth and left fielder Michael Katz also extended their impressive streaks reaching base safely to 29 games and 26 games, respectively.
W&M jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the first inning when a sacrifice fly by Lindemuth plated Nutter.
Although JMU tied the game at 1-1 with a RBI single by left fielder Ky Parrott in the bottom of the second, the Tribe answered with two runs in the top of the third to reclaim the lead. Lowe opened the frame with a walk on four straight pitches, while Nutter followed with a RBI double to left. Thompson then drove in the second run of the inning with a single to right field.
The College broke the game open with six runs in the fourth inning to build a commanding 9-1 advantage. Catcher Ryan Hissey drew a leadoff walk to get things started, and Casey followed with a double to left field to put runners on the corners. After Lowe drew a one-out walk to load the bases, RHP Patrick Toohers relieved Hoover. Toohers hit the first batter he faced, Nutter, to bring in the first run, while Thompson brought in two more scores with a double to right field. Following a walk by Katz, the Tribe added another run when Thompson scored on a wild pitch. Lindemuth finished off the big inning with a two-run home run.
With Dylan Horne on the mound in relief, W&M tacked on another run in the eighth inning with a sacrifice fly by Nutter that scored in Hoehn.
After the Dukes answered with two runs in the bottom half of the frame, the Tribe put three more runs on the board in the top of the ninth to lead, 13-3. Designated hitter Charley Gould drew a leadoff walk on four straight pitches, and Casey followed two batters later with a one-out single through the right side. After RHP Luke Suttmiller entered the game in relief, Hoehn walked to load the bases. Lowe then plated a pair of runs with a single through the right side, while Hoehn later scored on wild pitch.
JMU plated two runs in bottom of the ninth, but W&M held on for the lopsided victory.
The teams will play the second half of the doubleheader tonight at 7:30 p.m.
