FAIRFAX, Va. – The William & Mary baseball team extended its winning streak to four in a row following a 4-2 triumph over in-state rival George Mason on Wednesday afternoon at Spuhler Field.
 
With the victory, the Tribe improves to 23-20, while the Patriots fall to 18-24.
 
Sophomore Owen Socher and freshman Patrick Ryan paced the Green and Gold with multiple hits. Ryan finished 2-for-4, while Socher was 2-for-5 with a RBI. Junior Ryan Hall, senior Ryder Miconi and senior Charles Ameer plated one run apiece. Ameer also recorded the team's only double.
 
Freshman Jamie Sara escaped an early jam as George Mason placed runners on the corners with just one out in the bottom of the first. A hit by pitch and single set the table, before Sara recorded the last two outs on a strikeout and a fly out to left field.
 
The Tribe got on the scoreboard first with a pair of runs in the top of the third. After the first out, back-to-back singles and a walk loaded the bases. Hall then forced another walk to bring home sophomore Zach Pearson. The next batter, Miconi put the ball in play to plate Socher and give W&M a 2-0 lead.
 
The Patriots cut it to a one-run game in home half of the fifth. With two outs and a runner on second base, Logan Driscoll hit an RBI single to left field to trim the W&M margin to 2-1.
 
GMU went on to even the contest behind a two-out run in the sixth inning. After two outs, the Patriots registered three straight singles to push across a run for the 2-all tie.
 
Nonetheless, the Tribe scored a two-out run of its own to break to tie in the top of the eighth. Junior Cullen Large led off the frame with a walk, before reaching third base on a sacrifice bunt and a ground out. Ameer then dialed up a RBI double to left center to put the W&M ahead 3-2.
 
The Patriots threatened to score with just one out and runners on each corner in the bottom of the eighth. However, senior Nick Brown came in and retired the side behind a strike out looking and a grounder to protect W&M's lead.
 
The Tribe tacked on an insurance run in the top of the ninth inning. Ryan hit a leadoff single to right center, before rookie Matthew Trehub executed a sac bunt to move him to second. Ryan then advanced 90 feet away from home plate courtesy of a wild pitch. After the second out, Socher belted a RBI single to first base, giving W&M the 4-2 lead.
 
The Green and Gold retired the side in order in the bottom of the ninth to hold on for the victory. W&M are now riding its longest winning streak of the season.
 
Junior Charlie Fletcher earned his second win of the season after fanning two batters and allowing just two hits in 0.2 innings of relief. Tyler Kardas was credited with the loss as he tossed one late inning and gave up one run on one hit.
 
The Tribe remain on the road with a trip to Towson for a CAA three-game series this weekend. The set gets underway on Friday, April 28 at 3 p.m., resumes on Saturday, April 29 at 2 p.m. and wraps up on Sunday, April 30 at 1 p.m.