WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – Despite only being able to muster two hits, the William and Mary baseball team used a bottom of the ninth walk-off to defeat Elon 4-3 and take a Colonial Athletic Association series on Sunday afternoon. With the win, W&M improves to 12-11, 4-2 in CAA play, while the Phoenix fall to 12-14, 4-2 in league action.
With today's victory, W&M moved its Sunday winning streak to 14-games, including all six of its Sunday's game this year. W&M hasn't dropped a Sunday game since Sunday, Feb. 23, 2014, a 9-8 extra inning decision at High Point.
Seniors Willie Shaw and Devin White each drove in runs for the Green and Gold in the victory. Devin White and sophomore Tim Hoehn collected the Tribe's only hits.
Elon threatened in the top of the first inning, but the Tribe cut down a runner at the plate. Nick Zammarelli reached on a single moving to third on a Tribe error that allowed Casey Jones to reach. Starting pitcher junior Mitchell Aker settled to record the next two outs. Jones, who was trying to steal second, got caught in a run down. With Jones hung up, Zammarelli tried to score, but was gunned down by junior Charley Gould,keeping the game scoreless.
The Phoenix got on the board with a run in the top of the third inning. Jones started the rally with a walk, moving to second on a single from Ryan Cooper. The next batter, Chris King reached on a hit by pitch, loading the bases. After an out, a bases loaded walk to Andy Moore brought in the game's first run. Junior reliever Aaron Fernandez got the final two outs of the innings, keeping the score 1-0.
W&M tied the score with a two-out rally in the bottom of the fifth inning. With two outs, Shaw was hit by a pitch, later stealing second and reaching third on a throwing error. He came around when freshman Zach Newell reached on an error.
Elon responded with a run in the top of the sixth inning to retake the lead. Danny Lynch started the inning with a single, moving to third on a sacrifice bunt and a two-out single from Zammarelli. Three straight walks, allowed for the Phoenix's second run of the game score. The tally gave Elon on a 2-1 advantage.
The Tribe tied the scored with a run in the bottom of the seventh inning. Devin White led off the frame with a walk moving to third on a double by Hoehn. With an out, Shaw executed a squeeze play to perfection, tying the score at 2-2.
Freshman Charlie Fletcher inherited two runners on first and second, but was able to pitch out of the jam in the top of the eighth inning. After a sacrifice bunt for the first out, Fletcher got the next two batters on fly outs, to preserve a 2-2 tie.
The Green and Gold took its first lead of the game with a run in the bottom of the eighth inning. Freshman Cullen Large started the rally by getting hit by a pitch, moving to second on a sacrifice bunt by classmate Ryan Hall. After Hissey was intentionally walked, a fly out allowed for Large to reach third. The next batter, Devin White lined a single right back through the middle to give W&M a 3-2.
W&M's lead was short lived as the Phoenix tied the score in the top of the ninth inning. James Venuto led off the frame with a home run to center field, tying the score at three runs apiece.
The Tribe came back and won the game with a walk-off run in the bottom of the ninth inning. Junior Josh Smith started the rally by reaching on an error, moving to second on a sacrifice bunt by Shaw. After an out, Large hit a sharp grounder to second that was mishandled, which allowed Smith to come around from second to score the winning run.
Aker made the start for the Green and the Gold, but left throwing just 2.1 innings. He allowed one run on two hits, while he struck out four. Fernandez, who made the start in the game at Richmond on Tuesday, was spectacular tossing 4.2 innings allowing just one run on five hits, and striking out three. Fletcher earned his third win of the season tossing the final two innings allowing one run on one hit.
The College returns to action and opens a season-long nine-game road swing with a pair of mid-week games this week. W&M travels to Radford on Tuesday, March 31, before heading to Old Dominion on Wednesday, April 1. Both games are set for 6 p.m. first pitches.
