WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – The William and Mary baseball team used a pair of big innings in their first and last at-bats of the day as they completed a three-game sweep of UMass Lowell with a 12-8 victory on Monday afternoon. With the win, the Tribe improves to 7-4, while the River Hawks drop to 2-5.
Junior Josh Smith led the Tribe with three hits, and three RBIs, while junior Charley Gould collected a pair of hits and drove in four. Freshman Cullen Large had two hits as well, and scored twice, while sophomore Matthew Tilley had two hits and three RBI.
W&M scored for the third straight game in the bottom of the first inning. Large led off the inning with a single, moving to second a sacrifice bunt from senior Willie Shaw. A two out walk to Gould and freshman Ryan Hall loaded the bases. The next batter, sophomore Tim Hoehn singled into left field plating a pair of runs. A walk to senior Devin White reloaded the bases before, Tilley brought in two runs with a double to right field. Smith continued the onslaught with another double scoring both Devin White and Tilley. The six run frame catapulted the Tribe to a 6-0 lead.
UMass Lowell responded with a run of its own in the top of the second inning. Matt Mattola led off the inning with a double down the left field line. With the bases loaded, BJ Foley grounded out to bring home the River Hawk run.
The River Hawks added a run in the top of the fourth inning on a sacrifice fly. With one out Matthew Sanchez doubled, before Brice Erickson singled, and Luke Reynolds walked. The next batter, Foley hit a sacrifice fly, cutting the Tribe lead to 6-4.
W&M got back on the scoreboard with a run in the bottom of the sixth inning. With one out, Large hit a single, moving to second on an error. With two outs, Hissey was hit by pitch putting runners on the corners. The next batter, Gould doubled down the left field line scoring Large.
UMass Lowell continued to rally and took the lead with five runs in the top of the eighth inning. Danny Mendick and Mattola started the rally with back-to-back singles. A fly out from Sanchez put runners on the corners. Erickson followed with a single for the first run. After an out, Tyler Noe singled into center field, clearing the bases. The rally continued when Ben Prada walked and Reynolds hit an infield single, loading the bases. The second straight infield single cut the Tribe lead to one. The rest of the damage came in on a bloop single to center from Mendick, giving the River Hawks an 8-7 lead.
The College stormed right back and retook the lead in the bottom of the eighth inning. Shaw sparked the rally with a leadoff double, followed by a walk to Hissey. Gould followed with a mammoth shot over the left field wall. The fourth homer of the season for Gould, lifted the Tribe to a 10-8 lead. W&M restarted its rally with a two-out single from Devin White. The next batter, Tilley tripled brining home Devin White, before Smith came through with an RBI double.
Junior Mitchell Aker put together his best start of the young season, going 6.2 innings allowing two runs, scattering five hits, and picking up three strikeouts. Freshman Robert White picked up his second win of the season, allowing two runs on three hits over 1.1 innings.
W&M concludes its home stand with a pair of home games against in-state rival Virginia Tech on Tuesday, March 10 and Wednesday, March 11. First pitch is set for 7 p.m., and 4 p.m., respectively.
