WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – Juniors Wade Strain and Brandon Raquet helped the William & Mary baseball team to a 5-1 series-opening win against the College of Charleston on Friday night at Plumeri Park, on the night the Tribe Athletics department celebrated the ballpark's 20th anniversary. With the win, the Tribe improved 26-19, 8-11 in Colonial Athletic Association play, while the Cougars fall to 28-17, 10-6 in league action.
 
Strain provided a solid start as he cruised the Charleston lineup to a tune of seven innings pitched allowing one run on four hits, and a strikeout. He was credited with his fourth win of the season. Sophomore Randy Porsperi tossed the final two scoreless innings, surrendering a hit and fanning three.
 
Offensively, Raquet went 2-for-2 and reached base all four times. Raquet added the third run of the game in the bottom of the third, before connecting on his fourth homer of the season in fifth. The Tribe got on the board with two-out two-RBI double from senior Kyle Wrighte.
 
Prior to the game, W&M celebrated the 20th anniversary of Plumeri Park with a ceremony featuring W&M President Katherine A. Rowe and Joseph J. Plumeri II '66, D.P.S. '11. The Tribe had more than 70 former players in attendance to celebrate the event.
 
W&M Starters – Socher RF, McDermott 2B, Pearson 3B, Smith DH, Trehub C, Hart 1B, Cone CF, Wrighte SS, Strain P
 
CofC Starters – Hart 2B, McRae LF, Wondrack C, Davey 1B, Hawkins DH, Hunt 3B, Dixon RF, Graham CF, Manzo SS, McLarty P
 
How It Happened
- W&M struck for three runs in the bottom of the second inning. Junior Matthew Trehub roped a one-out double into the left-centerfield gap. After an out, freshman Jack Cone singled into right putting runners on the corners. Senior Kyle Wrighte followed and lifted a double to center to clear the bases. The two-out rally continued as junior Brandon Raquet slapped a single into right to make it 3-0.
- Raquet continued his big night as he launched two-run homer over the right field foul pole. His fourth round-tripper of the season made it 5-0 Tribe.
- Charleston got on the board with its lone run in the top of the sixth inning. Dupree Hart led off the inning with a single up the middle, before stealing second. A one-out single from Danny Wondrack put the Cougars on the board.
 
Inside the Numbers
- W&M outhit Charleston 8-5 in the game.
- All five of W&M's runs were scored with two-outs.
- The Tribe didn't commit an error improved to 10-4 when accomplishing that feat.
- W&M left nine on-base compered to just four for Charleston.  
 
Notes
Junior Wade Strain turned in his fifth quality start of the season … It was his ninth career win … Classmate Brandon Raquet recorded his sixth multi-hit game of the season and the fifth multi-RBI game … He now has 19 RBI this season and 57 for his career … He connected on his fourth homer of the campaign and 11 of his career … Senior Kyle Wrighte drove in multiple runs for the sixth time this season … He now has 22 RBI and 80 for his Tribe career … Freshman Jack Cone recorded his seventh multi-hit game … Junior Matthew Trehub and sophomore Matt McDermott extended hitting streaks an active team-high four games.
 
What's Ahead
The series between W&M and Charleston continues tomorrow, Saturday, May 4 at 2 p.m. The series finale is set for Sunday, May 5 at 1 p.m.