WILLIAMSBURG, Va. - The William & Mary baseball team hits the road for nine striaght games starting with a trip to defending national champion No. 8 Virginia on Tuesday, March 1. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.

TribeAthletics.com caught up with head coach Brian Murphy to discuss the game at Virginia, the trip to California, and the upcoming games with Oregon State and San Diego. The video feature is available through the above link, or by clicking here.
 

Game Day Information - Game 9-12 - vs. Oregon State & San Diego
When	March 5-8, 2016
Where	San Diego, Calif.
Venue	Fowler Park and Cunningham Field
How to Follow	Saturday - Live Stats Sunday - Live Stats Monday - Live Stats Tuesday - Live Stats
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 | Oregon State | San Diego | CAA
Game Notes	William & Mary | Oregon State | San Diego | CAA
Weekend Rotation (Tribe vs. Opponent)	Saturday - RHP Nick Brown vs RHP Jake Thompson Sunday - RHP Mitchell Aker vs. TBA Monday - RHP Daniel Powers vs. TBA Tuesday - LHP Bodie Sheehan vs. TBA
Tickets	USDToreros.com | Tickets

ON TAP
• The William & Mary baseball team looks to get back into the win column as it takes on it second consecutive ranked opponent as they play No. 4 Oregon State in San Diego on Saturday, March 5.  First pitch is set for 4 p.m. EST.
• The Green and Gold dropped a 16-8 decision at No. 8 Virginia on Tuesday afternoon. The setback was snapped a season-long three-game winning streak.
 
SERIES HISTORY
• William & Mary and Oregon State will meet for the first time on Saturday afternoon. It will be the first time the Tribe has played against a first-time opponent this season.
• On the trip to California, W&M will play San Diego and Cal State Northridge for the first time as well.
 
SCOUTING THE BEAVERS
• No. 4 Oregon State enters Saturday's game after playing San Diego on Friday night, and will square off with the Torroes again following this game with the Tribe. The Beavers are 7-1 through the first couple of weeks of the season.
• As a team OSU hits .333 (93-for-279). Kyle Noback leads the team with a .433 batting average (13-for-30) with two doubles and six RBI. Billy King, Logan Ice, and Caleb Hamilton have all homered, while Nick Madrigal leads the team with 10 homers.
• On the mound, the Beavers have posted a 4.25 ERA. Luke Heimlich leads the rotation with 13.1 innings allowing two runs on eight hits, with a 1.35 ERA with 10 strikeouts. Max Engelbrekt and Bryce Fehmel lead the team with five appearances. Engelbrkt has four saves with eight strikeouts, while not allowing an earned run.
• Pat Casey is in his 22nd season at Oregon State posting a 754-421-5 record. In his 28th overall season, he owns a 925-535-6 record.
 
ON DECK
• W&M will continue stay in San Diego and play a three-game series against USD. The Tribe and Torreos get underway Sunday, March 6 at 8 p.m., before a game Monday, March 6 and Tuesday, March 7. The last two games are set for 9 p.m.
• Next weekend, the Tribe will play four games at Northridge. W&M squares off with both UConn and Cal State Northridge for four games in two days.
 
CALIFORNIA DREAMIN'
• William & Mary heads to the Left Coast for eight games in eight days for its Spring Break trip. The Tribe will play games against Oregon State, San Diego, UConn, and Cal State Northridge. Dating back to 1984, it will be the first time that the Tribe has traveled to California.
• It will be the farthest trip West since the Tribe opened up the 2011 season at Oklahoma.
 
START ME UP
• The Tribe offense wasted little time getting runs on the board. W&M scratched across, at least, one first inning run in four of the seven games this season.
• Despite not scoring in the first inning, W&M still got on the scoreboard first against Liberty and has scored the game's first run in all four  of the seven games this season.
• Last season, W&M scored, at least, one first inning run in 19 of the 52 games posting a 13-6 record when they scored in the first inning.
 
 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.
 
LARGE AND IN CHARGE
• Sophomore Cullen Large had a strong weekend for the Green and Gold in the three victories against Holy Cross. He had four hits and drove in  five runs over the course of the weekend. His biggest hit came on a three-run homer that propelled the Tribe to a 12-11 victory in Sunday's game.
• For the season, the Chesterfield, Va. native is hitting .273 with two doubles, a homer, and a team-high six RBI.
 
GOING STREAKING
• Senior Josh Smith has hit safely in all eight Tribe games, building a 10-game hitting streak dating back to the 2015 season, which leads the team.
• Redshirt freshman Kyle Wrighte and sophomore Cullen Large have each had hitting streaks reach five games this season.
 
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 turned in 6.1 innings allowing only an unearned run. He added two strikeouts on the day.
 
POWERED BY POWERS
• Not to be outdone, junior Daniel Powers had the best start of his Tribe career in his first start of the year. He pitched seven scoreless innings, scattering just seven hits, and punching out three.
• The bullpen pitched the final two scoreless innings as the Vienna, Va. native was apart of the first shutout since the final day of the 2014 regular season.
 
IN A PINCH
• So far this season, William & Mary has had some success with its pinch hitters a whole. As a team pinch hitters are 4-for-9 with two walks.
• Junior Ryder Miconi has had the most chances going 2-for-3.

MESS WITH THE BULL YOU GET THE 'PEN
• Potentially one of the strongest assets of this year's Tribe team, the bullpen lived up to the hype in the early part of the season. It combined to pitch 27.2 innings of only allowing 11 earned runs.
• Senior closer Joseph Gaouette anchors the bullpen and has yet to allow an earned run. He has converted on all three saves this so far this season.
 
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 18 two-out RBI. Sophomore Cullen Large paces the Tribe with five, two-out RBI, while senior Charley Gould has had three RBI with two outs.