BUIES CREEK, N.C. – The William & Mary baseball team will square off against its third consecutive Big South Conference member during a trip to Campbell this weekend. Due to a forecast of inclement weather, the three-game series opens on Friday, March 9 at 3 pm, and concludes with a doubleheader on Saturday, March 10, starting at 1 pm.
A video stream for the first two games will be available on the
Big South Network, and the series finale will provide audio only on
GoCamels.com.
W&M News and Notes
• W&M and Campbell will meet for the 13
th-15
th time in series history this weekend. The Tribe holds a 7-5 all-time edge against the Camels. During the previous timeout, Campbell claimed a doubleheader sweep by scores of 10-6 and 8-5 in 2015. However, W&M took two out of three during a 2014 weekend series.
• Offensively, the Tribe ranks top five in the Colonial Athletic Association in hits, runs, and doubles. W&M is fourth-best in the league with 99 hits. Junior
Zach Pearson has been the leading batter in the lineup with a .321 average (17-for-53), three doubles, a home run and four RBI. The Green and Gold also pegs fifth in the conference in runs scored (57) and doubles (19).
• The W&M pitching staff improved to third in the CAA in strikeouts (115) and also second-highest in struck out looking (38). Individually, junior
Bodie Sheehan paces the team with 18 strikeouts in 21.2 innings of work. Senior
Michael Toner has also thrown a ton of strikes after fanning 17 batters in just 12.2 innings.
• The Green and Gold has had four of its games decided in extra innings so far this year. Two of the contest were against nationally-ranked opponents in ACC members Clemson (10 innings) and Virginia (12 innings). After ending up on the winning side of its last two, the Tribe is 2-2 in games sent to extras.
• Juniors
Hunter Smith and
Colin Lipke both blasted solo shots against Radford (March 7) for the Tribe's first multiple home run game. Smith went yard for the second time this year and totals nine in his career. Lipke, a community college transfer, launched his first homer at W&M.
• Senior
Ryan Hall is climbing up the Tribe record books in multiple categories during his final season. He recently exceeded 200 career hits and is 15 knocks away from ranking top 15 in school history. Hall ties 16
th for most games started (179) and 14
th in doubles (47) at W&M. The Richmond, Va., native also currently ties 29
th in the NCAA with six doubles this year. Additionally, Hall sits 15
th all-time in program history in at bats (694) and ties 12-best in walks (91).
• Smith has provided the power the Tribe has been missing in his last five outings. Since March 2, the three-year veteran has batted .389 (7-for-18), adding a double, home run and four RBI. Smith has owned a .611 slugging percentage and .478 on base percentage during the stretch. He provided heroics in the last timeout after delivering a walk-off RBI double in a 10
th-inning win over Radford on Wednesday.
• The Tribe defense ties 18th in the nation behind 13 converted double plays. W&M turned a season-high three double plays in its extra-inning affair at No. 18 Virginia. In total, the Green and Gold has executed at least one double plays in nine of its first 14 games.
• Both teams will start a true freshman on the mound during the series final at Campbell.
Jacob Haney earned his first career win in a rubber match with High Point last Sunday (March 4). The Charlottesville, Va., product notched season-bests behind six innings pitched and six strikeouts, while allowing just three hits and two runs (both unearned). Campbell's Brandon Jenkins will make his second consecutive start after fanning seven in 3.2 innings against Bowling Green (March 4).
• Junior
Nick Butts will receive his first career weekend start in game one of this Saturday's doubleheader. In his previous appearance on the hill, he went a season-high 4.2 innings with five strikeouts and two runs (one earned) on five hits. At No. 18 Virginia, Butts logged three innings, fanned three batters and conceded just one run and three hits.
• The Green and Gold has become very familiar with close games as eight of its first 14 have been decided by one run. W&M opened 2018 with four consecutive one-run losses, but has recently found ways to close out a tight affair. The Tribe owns a 2-1 record in its previous three one-run contests.
• Senior
Charlie Fletcher boasts the second-most appearances in Tribe history with 83 in his career. The Ashburn, Va., native has allowed just one run (earned) and three hits and his last 4.1 innings of work. Fletcher is just 14 appearances away from setting a new program standard.
• Sheehan was named CAA Pitcher of the Week for the week of Feb. 20. He went seven strong innings with four strikeouts, an earned run and three hits on Feb. 16 at No. 12 Clemson. The honor marks the third weekly conference award of his career. Furthermore, Sheehan has fanned 12 batters in a conference-leading 14 innings of work.
• A trio of Tribe Baseball players earned preseason recognition from the Colonial Athletic Association, highlighted by sophomore
Brandon Raquet making the All-Conference Team. Hall and Smith both received Honorable Mention distinctions. In the predicted order of finish, the Tribe tied fifth with Elon with 37 points. UNCW (six first-place votes) is the preseason favorite, followed by Delaware (three first-place votes) and College of Charleston rounding out the top three.
