NORFOLK, Va. – The William & Mary baseball team saw five different players register multiple RBI in a commanding 17-2 victory at Norfolk State on Tuesday afternoon. The Tribe (9-1) tied 11^th for most RBI in school history to capture its six-straight win.
 
With a 3-0 lead, the Tribe blew the doors open with a four-run blitz in the fourth inning. The rally started with one out and a runner on first. Senior Owen Socher smashed a double to left center before freshman Jack Cone, sophomore Matt McDermott, and senior Kyle Wrighte combined for three-straight singles, resulting in three runs. Senior Hunter Smith provided W&M a 7-0 advantage with a RBI grounder.
 
After NSU (0-10) broke up the shutout, W&M answered with a six-run eruption in the top of the seventh. The Tribe juiced the bases to allow Smith to walk in the first run. Senior Jason Waldman then pinch hit for Hunter Hart and blasted a bases-clearing double down the left line. Freshman Phil Conti also factored in with a two-out RBI double to right field.
 
Rookie Zach Tsakounis headlined the pitching performance in his first career start. The reigning CAA Rookie of the Week hurled five innings of three-hit ball. Tsakounis (3-0) also struck out a season-high eight of his 19 batters faced in gaining the win.
 
Senior Nick Butts and freshman Ned Ruffin combined for three scoreless innings out of the bullpen. Ruffin posted two strikeouts in his inning of work. Spartans' Jonathan Mahoney (0-2) was dealt the loss after conceding seven runs and nine hits in four innings.
 
Tribe Standouts
The offensive barrage was led by recent CAA Player of Week selection McDermott. The second baseman concluded the afternoon 4-for-5 with two doubles and two RBI. Cone engineered the best effort of his young career behind three hits, a RBI and five scored runs. Wrighe and Waldman both drove in a game-high four runs and doubled. Smith tallied three RBI and reached safely twice via a base hit and walk. Conti and Socher recorded identical stats of a 2-for-5 effort with a double and walk, but Conti also contributed two RBI. In his first career at-bat, freshman Cole Ragone smoked a double.
 
Notes
The last time the Green and Gold manufactured a six-game winning streak was in 2014 … Cone tied first for most runs scored in program history … The seven doubles rank fourth in W&M annals … The Tribe has recorded 10-plus hits in five of its last six games … It's the second time W&M scored double-digit runs … The Tribe improved to 5-0 on the road … Cone enjoyed a season-high in hits (3) and walks (3) … McDermott tied his career-best four hits to sustain his hitting streak (six games) … W&M needed one more run to tie 15^th in program history … The Tribe was also one hit away from recording its 12^th-highest in a game … Waldman registered a career-high in RBI … Ruffin made his collegiate debut.
 
Up Next
After five consecutive road games, the Tribe returns to Plumeri Park for a three-game series against defending Big South champion Campbell this weekend. The series opens on Friday, March 8 at 4 pm, continues on Saturday, March 9 at 2 pm and concludes on Sunday, March 10 at 1 pm.