EMERSON, Ga. – The William and Mary Tribe baseball team took game one of a doubleheader with some dramatics over Northern Kentucky 6-4 in 10 innings. With the win, the Tribe improve to 3-2, while the Norse fall to 2-7.
Junior Charley Gould collected three hits, including the game-wining homer in the top of the 10th inning. Gould also collected four RBI. Senior Willie Shaw and junior Ryan Hissey also collected three hits in the game, while the Tribe combined for 12 total hits.
W&M wasted little time getting on the scoreboard, scoring a run in the top of the first inning. With one out, Shaw doubled to right center field setting the table for the middle of the order. With two outs, Gould singled through the left side, giving the Tribe an early 1-0 lead.
Northern Kentucky responded with a run of its own in the bottom half of the inning. With one out, Cole Bauml doubled to right center, advancing to third on a Tribe throwing error. The next batter, Cody Kuzniczci singled into left field, knotting the score at 1-1.
The Tribe came right back and retook the lead in the top of the second inning. Freshman Zach Newell sparked the rally with a one-out double, before he moved to third on a groundout. Classmate Cullen Large came through with the Tribe's second two-out RBI of the game, with a single through the right side. The Tribe nearly added another run in the inning, but on a single from Hissey, Large was thrown out at the plate trying to score.
However, the Norse had an answer in the home half of the second. Conor Lonkard started the rally by singling and stealing second. With two outs, Quint Heady doubled to left field brining home the tying run again.
For the third time, the College took the lead in the top of the third inning. This time the Tribe used the long ball to its advantage when freshman Ryan Hall hit a homer over the left field wall. Hall's first career blast, gave W&M a 3-2 advantage.
The Tribe extended its lead in the top of the fifth inning. Shaw and Hissey led off the inning with singles, before Gould drove home Shaw on a single up the middle. Gould's second RBI of the game gave the Green and Gold a 4-2 lead.
NKU tied the score for the third time with two home runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Lonkard hit a homer to left field, before Bauml sent one out to right field, knotting the score at four runs apiece.
W&M came up some power of its own in the top of the 10th inning. With two outs, Hissey hit an infield single starting the rally. The next batter, Gould bolted a homer over the left center field wall, giving the Tribe a 6-4 advantage.
Sophomore Nick Brown made the start in game two, but left with a no decision. He pitched seven innings allowing four runs on nine hits, and picked up five strikeouts. Junior Andrew White came on and got a strikeout, before freshman Robert White pitched the final 2.2 innings. Robert White allowed just one hit and had two strikeouts.
The two teams will play a seven inning game shortly a the Lake Sports Complex in Emerson, Ga.
