WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – Three William & Mary baseball pitchers combined for a four-hit shutout, and the W&M offense backed them up as they picked up a 7-0 triumph over in-state rival VMI on Wednesday night at Plumeri Park. With the win, the Tribe improves to 12-8, while the Keydets drop to 9-11.
 
Senior Daniel Powers turned in his best performance of the season, keeping the Keydets at bay for seven innings and picking up his first win of the season. He didn't surrender a run, while allowing only four hits, and striking out a career-best 11. Powers also retired 11 of the last 12 batters he faced. Freshman Jamie Sara (one strikeout) and senior Chase Bailey (three strikeouts) each pitched an inning preserving the Tribe's second shutout of the season. The pitching staff recorded 15 combined strikeouts, which was the fourth most in single-game school history.
 
Offensively, junior Ryan Hall led the charge going 3-for-5 with a double, and scoring three runs. Senior Matthew Tilley and junior Cullen Large also collected multi-hit games, while Large, Tilley, senior Charles Ameer, and freshman Matthew Trehub all had RBIs.
 
William & Mary jumped on the board with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning. Hall led off the inning by reaching on an error, before moving around to score on three wild pitches. Freshman Brandon Raquet and Large reached on walks, but were on the corners with no one out. After an out, Brandon Raquet was cut down trying to score on a ground ball. The next batter, Tilley singled into right, giving W&M the early 2-0 advantage.
 
The Tribe added two more runs in the home half of the second. With one out, redshirt sophomore Kyle Wrighte walked, before moving to second a single by Hall. A balk moved each runner up 90 feet, before Wrighte came around to score on a wild pitch on ball four to Brandon Raquet. Hall later came around to score on a wild pitch that made it 4-0.
 
Powers escaped a bases loaded jam with one out in the top of the third inning, which was VMI's best chance to score. With one-out back-to-back singles from Matt Dunlevy and Jacob Jaye and a walk to Tyler Thrap loaded the bases. Powers then got Peyton Maddox to line out to Large at second, before fanning Jake Huggins.
 
W&M tacked its fifth run in the bottom of the frame. Tilley started the rally with a one-out double off the left field wall, before a single from sophomore Zach Pearson put runners on the corners. Trehub brought the run home with on a sacrifice bunt.
 
The Tribe added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Hall led off the frame with a double, before moving to third on a single from Brandon Raquet. The hit parade continued as Large singled into left, scoring Hall. Miconi, followed, with a walk to the load the bases. The second run of the inning came home when Ameer grounded into a fielder's choice, making it 7-0.
 
Corey Johnston was charged with his second loss of the season for VMI. He pitched 1.2 innings allowing four runs (two earned) on two hits, with two strikeouts. Dunlevy led the Keydet offense going 2-for-4.
 
The Green and Gold open Colonial Athletic Association play this weekend with a CAA Championship rematch. W&M travels to UNCW for a three-game series at Brooks Field that gets underway on Friday, March 24 at 6 p.m.