NORFOLK, Va. – The William and Mary baseball team fell to in-state foe Old Dominion 4-0 on Wednesday night in Norfolk. With the decision the Tribe fall to 12-13, while the Monarchs improve to 14-12.
Junior Ryan Hissey led the Tribe with a 2-for-3 day, including a walk. He was the lone Tribe player with a multi-hit game.
Old Dominion broke the scoreless tie, taking advantage of an unearned run in the bottom of the fifth inning. Jason McMurray started the inning by reaching second base on a Tribe throwing error. McMurray later came around to score on an RBI groundout from P.J. Higgins, giving the Monarchs a 1-0 lead.
W&M threatened in the top of the sixth inning with two outs, but couldn't bring home a run. Hissey drew a two out walk, before classmate Charley Gould hit a single, putting runners on the corners. However, Sam Sinnen was able to get the final out of inning, avoiding any damage.
The Monarchs added its second run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Taylor Ostrich led off the inning with a double down the right field line, moving to third on an infield single from Josh Elridge. After an out, Derek Francis hit a fly out to center, but it was deep enough to plate Ostrich. The tally gave ODU a 2-0 advantage.
ODU plated a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. With one out, McMurray started the rally with a single, moving to second on a stolen base, and third on an error. With one out, Nick Walker launched a homer over the left field wall, lifting ODU to a 4-0 lead.
The Tribe threatened again in the top of the ninth inning, but couldn't muster across a run. With one out, Senior Willie Shaw reached on a walk, before sophomore Porter Reinhart was hit by a pitch. However, Joey Benitez was able to record back-to-back strikeouts to nail down the save.
Junior Joseph Gaouette made the start for the Green and Gold. In his 2015 debut, he went one inning, allowing a pair of hits. Freshman Michael Toner was saddled with his second loss of the season. He went four innings, allowed just two hits and an unearned run. Sophomore John Yoest was strong in relief for the Green and Gold has he went 1.1 innings allowing a hit and a strike out.
The Green and Gold return to action with a three-game conference road series at Towson this weekend. The set gets underway on Friday, April 3 at 3 p.m.
