WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – The William & Mary baseball team treks to CAA's second-best Northeastern for its second consecutive road series this weekend. The three-games set opens on Friday, April 20 at 2:30 pm, continues on Saturday, April 21 at 1 pm and wraps up on Sunday, April 22 at 1 pm.
The first two games of the series will be televised on NESNplus. Video streaming and live stats links are also available for each contest on the Tribe Baseball
schedule page.
W&M News and Notes
• W&M and NU will square off for the 39
th-41
st time in series history over the weekend. The Green and Gold holds the all-time series upper-hand against the Huskies behind a 22-16 lead. W&M seems to fair better in Brookline, Mass., with a 12-6 record on NU turf. Last year, Northeastern limited the Tribe to just four total runs in claiming two wins, before the weekend finale was rained out. Regardless, W&M is 4-2 in the last six meeting.
• The Tribe pitching staff will duel against one of the CAA's most prolific offenses for the third time in its first five conference matchups. Northeastern boasts the league's second-highest batting average (.277), while ranking top three in hits and runs scored. The Green and Gold opened conference play against the top hitting team in Charleston (.287), before facing third-best UNCW (.264).
• The Green and Gold is in the midst of its longest road stretch after playing 61 percent of its games at Plumeri Park so far. It's the first time the Tribe is away from Williamsburg in back-to-back weekends after traveling to James Madison the last week. Additionally, W&M will compete in a hostile environment in 10 of its final 16 play dates.
• The trip to Northeastern is a homecoming for the Tribe coaching staff as
Brian Murphy and
Brian Casey are from the state of Massachusetts, while
Pat McKenna is also from the region. There will also be a sibling rivalry in the dugouts with Casey having a younger brother, Kevin Casey, on the Huskies' staff. Sophomore
Matthew Trehub is from Southborough, Mass., as well. Under Murphy, W&M is unbeaten at NU with 6-0 mark.
• W&M rallied from its largest deficit of the season against Norfolk State on Tuesday night. The Tribe erased an early four-run margin behind a six-run second inning en route to a 10-4 triumph over the Spartans. It's only the second time the Tribe has successfully completed a comeback attempt. W&M defeated Old Dominion (April 10), 4-3, after trailing by a run heading into the seventh inning.
• Competing in tight game has been a major story line for W&M in 2018. The Tribe has had a total of 19 matchups decided by just one run and saw seven go extra innings. Five of the last eight games resulted in a one-run decision, with the Tribe going 3-2 in the recent nail-biting affairs.
• A quick start is critical for the Tribe in winning games. The Green and Gold is 8-1 when it scores in the first inning and 13-4 in scoring the first run of a game. W&M has also displayed the ability to maintain a lead with a 11-3 mark when ahead after six innings. The Tribe is also 6-3 in night games.
• After earning his strips as a stellar closer, sophomore
Wade Strain was promoted to the weekend rotation last Sunday. Strain tossed a career-high five innings with three strikeouts, six hits, and two runs (both earned) at JMU (4/15). Strain gained his starting status by ranking second in the CAA in games finished (14) and third in saves (6). He is also one of four players in the NCAA to save both games of a doubleheader.
• A historic moment occurred on Sunday at James Madison as senior
Charlie Fletcher made his record-breaking 97th appearance in the ninth inning. He replaced
Pete Vernon '08 as the new appearance leader and now ties fourth in the CAA record books. Fletcher is 12
th in the country with 21 games in relief this year, while pegging fifth among active career leaders.
• Junior LHP
Bodie Sheehan is one of the best in the nation at finding the strike zone. The Virginia Beach, Va., product ranks 10
th in the NCAA in walks allowed per nine innings (0.92) and 22
nd in strikeout-to-walk ratio (7.33). Sheehan is also second among CAA hurlers in innings pitched (59.0) and walks allowed (6).
• Junior
Hunter Smith has been an important cog in the W&M offense, achieving a career-high seven home runs to tie fifth in the CAA. Following his third three-RBI effort vs. Norfolk State, Smith improved to seventh-best in the association in RBI (29). The Caldwell, N.J., native is also W&M's most clutch hitter with 19 two-out RBI.
• Senior CLASS Award candidate
Ryan Hall continues his ascension in the Tribe Baseball record books. Most recently, Hall blasted his 55
th double in tying fourth all-time. The right fielder also ranks top 10 at W&M in most hits (t-10
th), games started (t-6
th), sacrifice flies (t-5
th), walks (7
th), runs scored (t-10
th) and at bats (5
th). For 2018, Hall's 14 doubles slot 26
th in the country.
• Relief pitcher
Michael Toner is enjoying a standout senior season with the Green and Gold. He has notched career-highs in appearances (16), innings pitched (25.2), and strikeouts (33). The Cummings, Ga., native has allowed just seven earned runs on 25 hits for a 2.45 ERA. He also pitched in a shutout against ETSU (March 16).
• Rookie
Matt McDermott is one of just 10 CAA players to triple at least twice this year. As the only freshman to start every game, McDermott ties third on the team in hits (35) and batting .286 (14-for-49) in conference play. His nine sacrifice bunts also tie eighth in Tribe history and 16
th in the NCAA.
