WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – The William & Mary baseball team battled all night, but couldn't overcome a five-run third inning falling 11-6 to Old Dominion on Wednesday night at Plumeri Park. With the setback, the Tribe falls to 14-11, while the Monarchs improve to 20-5.
 
Senior Charles Ameer led the W&M offense with two hits, going 2-for-5. Ameer, seniors Ryder Miconi and Matthew Tilley as well as sophomore Kyle Wrighte drove in runs.
 
William & Mary plated a first inning run to take the early lead. Junior Ryan Hall led off the frame with a double down the right field line. The next batter, Miconi singled up the middle, giving the Tribe a 1-0 lead.
 
The Tribe added another run in the bottom of the second inning. Ameer led off the inning with a double down the right field line, before Wrighte moved him up with a sacrifice bunt. Tilley followed with a groundout, but it was enough to give the Tribe a 2-0 advantage.
 
Old Dominion took the lead with five runs in the top of the third inning. After an out, back-to-back walks to Turner Bishop and Devon Adams set the table for the Monarchs. Nick Walker followed with a double down the left field line, scoring the first run. A walk to Vinnie Pasquatino loaded the bases, but the Tribe was able to get the second out. However, Culver Lamb belted a grand-slam homer over the left field wall, making it 5-2 Monarchs.
 
For the third straight inning, W&M put runs on the board with two in the bottom of the third. With one out, junior Cullen Large singled back through the box, before sophomore Hunter Smith doubled into the right center putting runners on second and third. Ameer followed with a groundout to second, but it was enough to plate Large. Wrighte drove in the second run of the inning with a two-out single to left.
 
The Monarchs scored again with a run in the top of the fourth inning. Three straight singles with one out from Shaun Wood, Bishop, and Adams loaded the bases. Walker laced a grounder to third, but sophomore Zach Pearson made a diving stop to get the second out and limit ODU to just one run, making it 6-4.
 
ODU added an insurance run with a solo shot in the top of the seventh inning. With one out, Walker lifted the ball to left field and tucked it in the left field pole to make it 7-4.
 
W&M cut it to one with a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Hall led off the inning, by reaching on an error, before moving to second on another error. With one out, Large reached on a walk and Smith was hit by a pitch loading the bases. Ameer followed by putting a ball in play that was booted and allowed two runs to score and make it 7-6.
 
However, the Monarchs came back with two runs in the top of the eighth inning. Back-to-back singles from Lamb and Will Morgan followed by a walk to Young loaded the bases with no outs. Bryce Windham reached on a fielder's choice, but it was enough for the first run of the inning. After the second out, Kyle Battle singled into right making 9-6 Monarchs.
 
ODU tacked on two more runs in the top of the ninth inning to extend to its largest lead of the night. Adams led off the inning with a walk, before getting to second on a one-out single from Pasquantino. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch, before Corey Alexander II singled into right, making it 11-6.
 
Senior Aaron Fernandez was saddled with his second loss of the season. He we went three innings allowing five runs on just two hits, while striking out a pair.
 
Morgan Maguire picked up his third win of the season tossing 2.1 innings in relief allowing just one hit and striking out two. Walker and Lamb each had two hit days for the Monarch offense. Lamb had four RBI, while Walker drove in three.
 
The Green and Gold returns to Colonial Athletic Association this weekend as it travels to Delaware for a three-game series this weekend. The set starts on Friday, March 31 at 3 p.m.