WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – The William and Mary baseball team took both games of a doubleheader over UMass Lowell on Sunday afternoon at Plumeri Park. The Tribe took game one 10-4, before they won the finale 9-1. With the victories, W&M improves to 6-4, while the River Hawks drop to 2-4.
Sophomore Tim Hoehn led the Tribe offense for the day, collecting five hits, scoring five runs and driving in one. Junior Charley Gould picked up four hits in the two contests.
W&M got on the board in the bottom of the first inning game one. Junior Ryan Hissey blasted a solo homer over the right center field wall, giving W&M the early 1-0 lead.
The Tribe rallied right back and added two runs in the half of the second inning. With one out, Hoehn singled, moving to second on a stolen base. With two outs, sophomore Porter Reinhart walked, putting runners on first and second. The next batter, junior Josh Smith hit an infield single, but there was an overthrow allowing both runners to score. The runs allowed, W&M to gain a 3-0 lead.
UMass Lowell tacked on its first run of the game in the top of the third. With two outs, Matt Mottola singled into left field bringing home Geoff DeGroot. The run, cut the score to 3-1.
The Green and Gold exploded for four runs in the home half of the fourth inning. Hoehn led off the inning with a double, scoring on a single from sophomore Matthew Tilley. After an out, Smith reached on a bunt single. Freshman Cullen Large, followed, with a long homer to right field, giving W&M a 7-1 lead.
W&M scored two more in the bottom of the fifth inning. Gould led off the inning with a homer off of the scoreboard. Tilley brought around Hoehn with a double for the Tribe's final run of the inning.
The River Hawks added three runs in the top of the sixth. Tim Fallon started the rally with a single. After an out, back-to-back singles from Brice Erickson and Luke Reynolds loaded the bases. A groundout brought home Fallon, before an error allowed for two runs tot score.
W&M scored its 10th run in the bottom of the seventh inning. Gould led off the inning with a double, before he came around to score on a wild pitch.
Three Tribe pitchers combined to limit the River Hawks' offense in game one. Senior Jason Inghram, on a pitch count, tossed the first three innings allowing two hits and striking out two. Classmate Bryson Kauhaahaa, who earned the win, tossed three innings, allowing one earned run, and struck out two. Freshman Charlie Fletcher notched his first career save throwing the final three innings allowing five hits.
In game two, W&M jumped on the board in the bottom of the first for the second consecutive game. With two outs, Hissey started the rally by getting hit by a pitch, before moving to second on a stolen base. The next batter, Gould, drove him home on a single. The second run of the inning came around on an UMass Lowell error.
The Tribe came right back with two more runs in the second. Freshman Zach Newell led off the inning with a walk, moving to second on a stolen base. The next batter Large, brought him around on a single. Large later came around to score on an RBI by Hissey.
Hoehn manufactured a run in the bottom of the third. He led off the frame with a double, coming around on a sophomore Ryder Miconi groundout, giving the Tribe a 5-0 lead.
The Green and Gold added two more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Hissey led off the inning with a walk, coming around to score on a double from Hoehn, Senior Devin White then followed with a ground rule double, giving the Tribe a 7-0 lead.
W&M took advantage of an UMass Lowell error in the bottom of the sixth inning. After Newell, started the inning with a walk, he moved around the bases before coming home on a two-out error.
The College added another run in the bottom of the seventh inning. A hit by a pitch and a pair of walks loaded the bases, before Large earned a walk to bring home the ninth run of the afternoon.
UMass Lowell scored its lone run in game two in the top of the eighth inning. Tyler Noe led off the inning getting hit by a pitch, before moving to third on a single from Matthew Sanchez and a stolen base. The run came in on a groundout from B.J. Foley.
Sophomore Nick Brown had the best outing of his career, tossing seven innings with out a run. He allowed just four hits, while he fanned five River Hawks. Junior Andrew White and sophomore Daniel Powers limited the River Hawks in the final two innings.
The Tribe and River Hawks conclude their three-game series tomorrow, Monday, March 9. First pitch from Plumeri Park is set for 1 p.m.
