BROOKLINE, MASS. – A late comeback attempt by the William & Mary baseball team came up just short after Northeastern walked in the game-winning run in the eighth for a 4-3 decision on Saturday afternoon. The Tribe (15-25, 3-11) pulled even in the top of the eighth, but the Huskies (22-13, 8-3) loaded the bases and capitalized in the bottom half to secure the series.
 
It didn't take long for runs to appear on the scoreboard as each team scored in the opening frame. The Green and Gold used a pair of two-out hits to take an initial lead. Junior Hunter Smith doubled to right field, before classmate Colin Lipke platted him on a RBI single to left field.
 
The Huskies then answered in the bottom half of the first, taking a 2-1 advantage. Following the first out, Ian Fair singled and Jake Farrell tripled to even up the score. On the next at bat, Max Burt drove in Farrell behind a grounder to shortstop to provide the lead.
 
However, starters Wade Strain and Brian Christian went toe-to-toe for four consecutive scoreless innings. Both offenses combined for five hits over the stretch, but left five runners on base. NU was able to eventually extend its lead with a one-run frame in the bottom of the sixth. Farrell was responsible for another Huskies' run after scoring on a wild pitch for a 3-1 affair.
 
The game-deciding eighth inning then rolled around, and the Tribe manufactured a pair of two-out runs to create a 3-all deadlock. Rookie Matt McDermott and Smith both singled to start the frame, before a Lipke sac bunt advanced them. A strikeout and intentional walk later, junior Zach Pearson belted a two-RBI single to left field.
 
The drama only intensified during the bottom of the period after NU juiced the bases with two outs. Kyle Peterson came in as pinch hitter and drew a walk to bring in the go-ahead run.
 
Tribe Standouts
After managing just one hit yesterday, the Green and Gold saw seven players earn at least one base knock. Smith and Pearson paced the offense with two hits apiece. Smith added a double and scored two runs, while Pearson drove in the aforementioned two runs. Sophomore Brandon Raquet also doubled for his third extra base hit in as many games.
 
On the bump, Strain went a career-high 5.1 innings and fanned six-batters. Senior Michael Toner struck out three more in 2.1 relief innings.
 
Inside the Numbers
- W&M batted .333 (4-for-12) with two outs for three two-out RBI.
- The Green and Gold finished with a .333 hitting rate (3-for-9) with runners in scoring positing, while the pitching staff restricted the Huskies to a 0-for-6 effort.
- A key difference was that NU went 1-for-2 with a runner on third base and less than two outs and W&M was 0-for-3.
- Kyle Murphy (2-0) received the win as he threw 2.0 innings with two strikeouts, three hits and two runs (both earned).
- Toner (0-1) was dealt the loss after the batter he allowed to reached scored the game-winning.
- Andrew Misiaszek picked back-to-back saves by slinging a scoreless ninth. 

Notes
Senior Charlie Fletcher made his 98^th career appearance to take over the fourth spot in the CAA record books… Strain earned the second weekend start of his two-year career…The Tribe competed in its 20^th one-run game of 2018…Smith and Pearson both produced their 11^th multi-hit game…Pearson added his sixth multi-RBI performance. It's just the second time W&M lost after scoring in the first inning with an 8-2 ledger.
 
Up Next
The series will wrap up tomorrow with another 1 pm first pitch.