HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – Redshirt sophomore Kyle Wrighte homered twice for the first time in his career to lift the William & Mary baseball team to a 5-4 win over CAA foe Hofstra in game one of a Friday doubleheader at University Field.
 
With the victory, the Tribe improves to 29-23 overall and 13-8 in conference play, while the Pride falls to 14-35, 7-15 in CAA action.
 
W&M had eight of its nine starters tally a hit in the series opener. Wrighte finished the contest 2-for-4 with two RBI. Senior Ryder Miconi also had a productive outing with three hits, a RBI and a double. Sophomore Owen Socher and junior Cullen Large notched two hits each, while senior Charles Ameer recorded a hit and drove in a run.
 
W&M got its offense going early with a run scored in the top of the first inning. With one out, Socher drew a walk and Large and Miconi registered back-to-back singles to load the bases. Ameer was hit by a pitch to record a two-out RBI and provide the Tribe a 1-0 advantage.
 
The Green and Gold used the long ball to score another run in the second inning. After the first out, Wrighte laced a solo bomb to left field for his fourth home run of the season. W&M then loaded the bases for the second consecutive inning behind a pair of two-out singles and a walk. However, Hofstra starter John Rooney retired the side on a fly out to left field, limiting the damage to a 2-0 score.
 
An unearned run allowed the Green and Gold to pad its advantage at 3-0 in the top of the third. Ameer led off the frame with a single up the middle. The next batter, freshman Patrick Ryan singled through the right side, and a throwing error from third baseman Tyler White permitted Ameer to reach home plate.  
 
The Tribe scored again with one run on two hits in the fourth inning. Socher drilled a leadoff single through the right side, before a grounder advanced him to second. Miconi then belted a RBI single to right field, lifting W&M to a 4-0 lead.
 
Hofstra answered with a four-run rally in the home half of the fourth to even up the contest. A pair of home runs highlighted the spark as Rob Weissheier hit a two-run blast to center field, before Tyler White followed up with a solo bomb to right center. Tom Archer capped the rally with a RBI single through the left side, making it a 4-all game.
 
The Tribe threatened to break the tie in the top of the sixth. Leadoff hitter Brandon Raquet was hit by a pitch, moved to second courtesy of a Socher sac bunt and reached third on a wild pitch. Nonetheless, Large struck out and Miconi flied out to center field to leave Raquet stranded.
 
In the top of the eighth, Wrighte muscled W&M to a one-run advantage. With one out, Wrighte launched his second solo shot of the game to center field, providing the Tribe a 5-4 margin. The pair of home runs for Wrighte gives him five on the season.
 
Closer Nick Brown shutdown Hofstra in the final 1.1 innings on three strikeouts and just two hits allowed to notch his team-best sixth save of the season. Junior Charlie Fletcher earned his third win of the season after tossing a shutout inning.
 
Chirs Weiss was dealt his fourth loss of the year. He tossed two innings of relief with one strikeout and one run allowed (earned) on three hits. Rooney fanned a career-best 11 batters in seven innings of work.