WILLIAMSBURG, Va. - The William and Mary Tribe baseball team split a doubleheader with Colonial Athletic Association foe Elon on Saturday afternoon at Plumeri Park. After Elon won game one 13-1, W&M rallied for a 9-5 victory in the nightcap. With the results, the Tribe's record is now 11-11, 3-2 in the CAA, while the Phoenix is 12-13, 4-1 in league play.
Senior Devin White led the Tribe having a 2-for-4 game. He drove in the Tribe's lone run in game one with a double in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Elon took the lead with five runs with two outs in the top of the fourth inning. Ryan Cooper sparked the rally with a single, moving to third on a single from Chris King. The next batter Andy Moore followed with a single plating the first run of the game. Nick Zammerelli and Austin Leeny each reached on singles giving the Phoenix a 3-0 lead. The final two runs came in on a pair of Tribe errors on the same play.
The Phoenix continued its success with two outs with a run in the top of the fifth inning. With two outs, Cooper doubled to the right center field wall. The next batter Chris King slapped a single into right field, giving Elon a 6-0 lead.
Elon again added three runs in the top of the sixth inning. Moore led off the frame with single moving around the bases on a single from Leeny and Shumate reaching on a hit by a pitch. After the second out, Joey Tomoko doubled to the left center field wall, clearing the bases. The three runs put the Phoenix up 9-0.
The Phoenix pushed its lead to double-figures with three more runs in the top of the eighth inning. Casey Jones started the rally when he reached second on an error, scoring on a single from Cooper. The following batter, King hit a home run over the right field wall, giving Elon a 12-0 lead.
W&M scratched off a run in the bottom of the eighth inning. Junior Charley Gould started the rally with a double down the left field line. With two outs, Devin White followed suit with a double to left plating Gould and cutting the lead to 12-1 Elon.
However, the Phoenix got the run right back in the top of the ninth inning. With one out, James Venuto hit a solo shot over the right field wall, giving the Phoenix a 13-1 lead.
Matt Harris was the story in game one for Elon. He tossed seven shutout innings, earning the victory. He scattered four hits, while striking out 11 batters.
Senior Jason Inghram was saddled with his fourth loss of the season. He tossed 5.2 innings, allowing nine runs (seven earned) and 10 hits. However he did strikeout eight batters. Sophomores John Yoest, Daniel Powers, and Matthew Smith pitched the final 3.1 innings. Yoest and Powers combined for 2.1 innings of scoreless baseball.
In game two, the Tribe erased a three run seventh inning deficit to pick up a 9-5 victory over Elon.
Junior Ryan Hissey led the Green and Gold going 2-for-3, driving in a run and scoring two more runs. Sophomore Tim Hoehn collected a pair of hits and two RBI, while Gould also drove in two runs in the second game.
Elon opened the second contest with a run in the top half of the first inning. Zammarelli led of the game with a single into right field, moving to second on a one out single from Jones. With two outs, King hit a flare single to right field scoring the game's first run, and giving Elon a 1-0 lead.
W&M took its first lead of the day with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning. Freshman Ryan Hall started the rally with a single, moving to second on a walk to Hissey. After both runners moved up 90 feet on a wild pitch, Gould shot a single up a middle, scoring both runs.
The Phoenix tied the score with a run in the top of the third inning. Zammarelli led of the frame with a single to right, moving to second a walk to Tomko. Jones tied the score with a single to left center field, putting runners on the corners. However, sophomore starting pitcher Nick Brown got three consecutive fly outs to keep the score tied.
Elon regained the lead with a run in the top of the sixth inning. Venuto led off the inning with a single, moving to second a sacrifice bunt. A passed ball allowed for Venuto to reach third. With runners on the corners, a ground out from Shumate gave Elon a 3-2 advantage.
The Phoenix added two more runs with a pair of unearned tallies in the top of the seventh inning. Cooper started the rally by reaching on an error, before King blasted a home run over the right field wall.
W&M scored seven runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, which were enough to pickup the victory. Hoehn singled to start the inning, moving around the bases on a pair of wild pitches. After a walk to Smith, freshman Zach Newell reached on an error, but drove in Hoehn for an RBI. A passed ball allowed for Smith to score, before a wild pitch plated Newell. With runners on second and third, Hissey reached on a fielder's choice putting the Tribe on top 6-5 with still no outs in the inning. Gould continued the rally with a walk loading the bases. After two outs, a wild pitch allowed for the seventh run to score, before Hoehn cleared the bases with a double to right. The inning, which saw seven total runs score, gave the Green and Gold a 9-5 lead.
Brown made the start and turned in his team-high fifth quality start, but did not factor into the decision. He allowed three runs (two earned) on seven hits and struck out six. Senior Bryson Kauhaahaa tossed the final three innings, earning his second win. He allowed two runs, both unearned, with one strikeout.
The College and the Phoenix conclude their three game series with the rubber game tomorrow, Sunday, March 29. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.
