WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – The William & Mary baseball team aims to remain unbeaten as it hosts a three-game series with Sacred Heart this weekend. The weekend set starts on Friday, Feb. 22 at 4 pm, continues on Saturday, Feb. 23 at 2 pm and wraps up on Sunday, Feb. 24 at 1 pm.
W&M News and Notes
• W&M and Sacred Heart will meet for only the fourth-sixth time in series history this weekend. During the previous meeting, the Tribe won the first two of a three-game set in 2006 to lead the all-time series 2-1. Overall, the Tribe is 8-5 (.615) against the Northeast Conference in series history.
• After opening 2019 with a three-game sweep of Marist, W&M (3-0) is off to its best start since 2010. The Tribe surrendered just eight combined runs for the unblemished record. Nine seasons ago, W&M pulled out the brooms against Maryland Eastern Shore in its previous 3-0 start. The next step is to duplicate the 6-0 beginning that occurred in 2008.
• The W&M pitching staff dazzled in the weekend opener to boast a 2.33 team ERA, which ranks second in the CAA. The impressive ERA also ties 40
th in the nation. The team's seven walks allowed leads the CAA. Additionally, W&M ranks 17
th in the NCAA with 2.33 walks allowed per inning. Senior
Bodie Sheehan logged the most innings (6.0), posted four strikeouts and conceded two runs on five hits. Freshmen
Tristan Snyder and
Zach Tsakounis both gained their first win after each one pitched 4.2 shutout innings of relief.
• Snyder reaped CAA Rookie of the Week accolades following his impressive collegiate debut. He allowed just three hits, struck out six and held opposing batters to a .176 average. The Bumpass, Va., native fanned five across the last three innings. Snyder also stands fourth in the conference with four batters struck out looking.
• The outstanding pitching from last weekend was supported by timely hitting. In the last two wins over Marist, the Tribe scored its go-ahead run in the eighth inning. Junior
Brandon Raquet scored the game-winning run via solo bomb in the second of Friday's doubleheader. In the series finale, rookie
Jack Cone tripled and scored behind a wild pitch to complete a comeback win.
• The current six-game homestand is the second longest stretch of consecutive home games. It has been 14 years since the Tribe initiated a new season with six-straight contests at Plumeri Park. In the middle of the April, W&M is slated for seven home games in 10 days from April 12-21.
•The starting lineup featured three freshmen – two in the outfield and an infielder. Head coach
Brian Murphy gave the nod to Cone,
Matt Thomas and
Hunter Hart. Each rookie made contributions to W&M earning three-straight wins. Thomas generated a .417 on base percentage behind three walks and two hits, while driving in two runs. Cone was one of two CAA players to triple twice and posted two RBI. Hart also platted two runs and drew three walks.
• Sheehan will notch his 46
th career start on Saturday and tie
Nick Brown '17 for the fifth-most in W&M history. With 10 more starts, He will replace
Randy Leek '99 as the all-time leader. Additionally, the Virginia Beach, Va., native is 15 strikeouts away from becoming the 13
th Tribe pitcher to reach 200.
•
Brink Ambler is the newest addition to the Tribe staff as a volunteer assistant. Ambler brings championship success to the Tribe after helping guide Division III program Otterbein to Ohio Athletic Conference regular season and tournament titles and back-to-back NCAA regional appearances. In two seasons, he assisted the Cardinals in fashioning a 61-30 record and set single-season records in hits (502), at bats (1,616) and total bases (766).
• Plumeri Park, the home of the Tribe Baseball, turns 20 this spring. The anniversary will be celebrated and recognized over the course of the season. The facility was constructed in large part due to the generous donation by Mr. Joseph J. Plumeri II in the autumn of 1996. It is now considered one the finest baseball facilities in the region, consistently receiving upgrades over the course of time. W&M has enjoyed a lot of success at Plumeri Park with a 381-196 (.660) since its completion.
