MT. PLEASANT, S.C. – A matchup that had all the makings of a pitching duel turned into an offensive melee as the William & Mary baseball team came up short in its comeback attempt at Charleston, 8-7, during game one of Saturday's doubleheader. Both teams finished with double-digit hits as the Tribe (8-15, 0-2 CAA) generated 15 and the Cougars (18-6, 2-0 CAA) tallied 16.
 
The madness began in the fifth inning with Charleston ahead 3-2 entering the frame. The Green sparked a big two-out rally to break the tie. Senior Ryan Hall and junior Hunter Smith both singled, before senior Jason Waldman crushed a three-RBI home run to left field, lifting the Tribe to a 4-3 edge.
 
Nonetheless, the Cougars exploded for a five-run spurt in the bottom half of the fifth. CofC started the inning with four straight hits, three singles and a double, to push across the first two runs. An RBI single from Tommy Richter and a two-out two-RBI single by Bradley Dixon granted Charleston an 8-3 advantage.
 
However, the Green and Gold kept battling and clawed back into the game in the seventh inning.  W&M loaded the bases on three consecutive one-out singles from junior Colin Lipke, Hall and Smith. On the next at bat, Waldman maintained his big day with an RBI single and Hall also scored on a throwing error. Rookie Matt McDermott then made it an 8-7 affair courtesy of an RBI single to center field.
 
Tribe Standouts
W&M saw six different players finish game one with multiple hits. Smith and McDermott both notched three hits each to lead the way. A quartet of freshman Patrick Ryan, junior Zach Pearson, Hall and Waldman all factored in on two hits apiece. Waldman also drove in a career-high four RBI.
 
On the mound, senior Charlie Fletcher blanked CofC in the last two innings. The Ashburn, Va., native allowed just three hits in his 88^th career appearance.
 
Up Next
The Tribe will conclude it first 2018 CAA series with game two of today's doubleheader at 6:20 pm.