WILLIAMSBURG, Va. - The William & Mary baseball team returns to the friendly confines of Plumeri Park for the first time in nearly a month when they welcome in-state rival Norfolk State on Tuesday, March 15. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.

TribeAthletics.com caught up with head coach Brian Murphy to discuss the trip to California, returning home, and the Norfolk State game. The video feature is available through the above link, or by clicking here.
 

Game Day Information - Game 17 - Norfolk State
When	Tuesday, March 15 - 6 PM
Where	Williamsburg, Va.
Venue	Plumeri Park
How to Follow	Live Stats | Live Audio
Social Media	Tribe Baseball Facebook | Tribe Baseball Twitter Tribe Baseball Instagram | Tribe Athletics Instagram Tribe Athletics Facebook | Tribe Athletics Twitter Tribe Game Day Twitter | #RisingTribe
Stats	William & Mary | Norfolk State | CAA
Game Notes	William & Mary | Norfolk State | CAA
Probable Pitchers (Tribe vs. Opponent)	LHP Bodie Sheehan vs. RHP Chase Anderson
Tickets	TribeAthletics.com | Tickets

ON TAP
• The William & Mary baseball team returns to the friendly confines of Plumeri Park for the first time in nearly a month when they welcome in-state rival Norfolk State on Tuesday evening. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.
• The Green and Gold is looking to snap a season-long five-game losing streak after a tough road trip.
 
SERIES HISTORY
• William & Mary and Norfolk State meet for the 34th time in series history on Tuesday night at Plumeri Park. It is the first of two meetings this season, as the Tribe will travel to Norfolk on Tuesday, April 19.
• The Tribe leads the all-time series 27-6 overall, but the last time the two teams met Norfolk State picked up a 3-2 victory in Williamsburg.
• In that game, junior Ryder Miconi led the Tribe by going 3-for-4 with a run scored in the game.
 
SCOUTING THE SPARTANS
• Norfolk State enters Tuesday's game after taking series from CAA foe Towson at home last weekend. The Spartans are currently 6-9 on the season.
• NSU boasts a .255 team batting average through 15-games this season. Syeed Mahdi leads the team with a .355 batting average (22-for-62), adding eight double, four homers, and 18 RBI. Mahdi's doubles, homers, and RBI lead the Spartans as well, while Kyle Vaas (13) and Angel Rosario (10) have each driven in double-digit RBIs.
• On the mound, Norfolk State has combined for 4.05 ERA this season. Matt Boone has the team's lowest ERA at 1.17. Cooper Jones leads the team throwing 17.2 innings and also has a save. Matt Outman and Michael Parmentier lead the team with 25 strikeouts apiece.
• Claudell Clark is in his 12th season as the Spartan's headman. He has posted a 251-298-1 record during his tenure.
 
ON DECK
• The Tribe opens Colonial Athletic Association play next weekend with a three-game trip to Elon. The series will be held March 18-20. The lid-lifter of the series is set for Friday, March 18 at 4 p.m.
• W&M then returns home for a seven-game  home stand and a stretch of 12 of the next 14 at Plumeri Park. The extended home stand starts on Tuesday, March 22 against Richmond. First pitch is for 6 p.m.
 
START ME UP
• The Tribe offense has wasted little time getting runs on the board. W&M scratched across, at least, one first inning run in seven games this season.
• W&M is 4-3 this season when they score a run in the first inning.
 
MAKES YOU WANNA STAY
• W&M played its first extra inning game of the season on March 7 against San Diego. The Tribe scored two runs in the 10th inning, improving to 1-0 this season in extras.
• Last season, the Green and Gold played four extra inning games, 2-2.
 
LETS PLAY TWO!
• W&M played a pair of doubleheaders on its trip to California. W&M has at least one more doubleheaders on the schedule.
• The final double dip will come on May 13 at West Virginia.
 
HALL PASS
• Sophomore Ryan Hall has had a strong start to the season. He owns a .344 batting average (21-of-66) with four doubles, a triple, two homers, and 11 RBI.
• He has reached base safely in all but two of the games he's played in this season. 
 
BRINGING OUT THE BROOMS
• William & Mary recorded its first weekend series sweep with three consecutive wins over Holy Cross last weekend. It was the first series sweep since a three-game sweep of James Madison on April 17-19.
• W&M has recorded at-least one three-game series in the last seven seasons.
 
GOING STREAKING
• Senior Josh Smith hit safely in his first 12 games of the season, which extended a streak from last year two 14 games, which leads the team. Despite his hitting streak coming to an end, Josh Smith has reached base in every game this season.
• Senior Charley Gould currently has the longest active streak on the team, hitting safely in his last four games.
 
AN ACE IN AKER
• Senior Mitchell Aker turned in one of his best starts of his career in his first start of the 2016 season. Aker tossed 6.1 innings allowing only an unearned run. He added two strikeouts on the day.
• Aker was even more impressive in his no decision against UConn on March 12. He didn't allow an earned run over seven innings, while scattering two hits and struckout a season-high seven Huskies.
 
BE A DUDE
• For the fourth consecutive season, the William & Mary coaching staff will be giving out the "Be A Dude" Award for the Tribe player with the most two-out RBI over the course of the season.
• So far this season the Tribe has 30 two-out RBI. Sophomore Cullen Large paces the Tribe with nine, two-out RBI, which are all but one of his RBIs he has this season. Junior Charles Ameer is second on the team with four two-out RBI.
 
STRIKING OUT CANCER
• For the second straight year, the Tribe baseball program has joined forces with the Vs. Cancer Foundation in the hopes of raising money towards defeating childhood cancer. This year W&M is asking for supporters to donate money for each strikeout recorded by the Tribe pitching staff. The pitching staff has already recorded 91 strikeouts.
• Last season, the team participated in a fundraising campaign during the fall season and raised more than $6000.
 
COMMONWEALTH CHALLENGE
• Once again the 2016 schedule is loaded with games against competition from the Commonwealth of Virginia. This year, W&M plays 13 games from teams the Old Dominion.
• The Tribe squares off with Liberty (L, 4-8, 4/27), Virginia (L, 8-16), Norfolk State (3/15, 4/19), Richmond (3/22), Virginia Tech (4/5), Old Dominion (4/6, 4/12), VCU (4/13), and James Madison (4/15-17).
• Currently the Tribe is 0-2 against teams from Virginia.
 
HOME SWEET HOME
• This season, W&M plays 24 home games in the friendly confines of Plumeri Park.
• In its 17th season of existences it creates an excellent home field advantage for the Tribe especially under coach Murphy where the Tribe are 36-14 in Williamsburg.
• This season, the Tribe is 3-0 at Plumeri Park.