WILLIAMSBURG, VA.- Four William & Mary pitchers combined for 10 strikeouts in the Tribe's 8-0 win over Merrimack Saturday afternoon at Plumeri Park. Wade Strain got his first win of the season tossing 3.2 solid innings allowing just one hit and setting the tone for the Tribe's first shutout win of the year. 
 
Offensively Matt Thomas led the way going 5-3 with three runs batted in. Ben Williamson and Cole Ragone each had a pair of hits and scored twice while Matt McDermott knocked in a pair of runs. 
 
Both teams went quietly in the first two innings, but the Tribe would open the scoring in the bottom half of the third. Ben Williamson would lead off with a double off the wall in right-center and would later score on a wild pitch. 
 
Four straight hits would plate three more Tribe runs in the third. Cole Ragone singled through the left side, moved to third on Jack Cone's double off the right-field wall, and scored on Matt McDermott's single to right. Both Cone and McDermott would cross the plate as Matt Thomas singled through the right side. 
 
The Green and Gold sent four more across the plate on four hits in the fourth. Tyler Solomon would hit a sharp single to short to score Hunter Hart. Williamson would score as Ragone slapped his second hit of the ballgame and Ragone would score on Thomas' single.  
 
Rojo Prarie would relieve Strain and mow down four batters in 1.1 innings of work. Following Prarie was Zack Tsakounis who struck out three over 2.0 innings and Justin Pearson sealed the shutout tossing the final two frames. 
 
The Tribe will look to complete the three-game sweep of Merrimack as the two teams finish the weekend set tomorrow afternoon at Plumeri Park. 
 
NOTES
 
In the second inning, Strain forced Merrimack into a 6-4-3 double play. It was the Tribe's 16th double play of the season, good for 3rd in the NCAA. 
 
Matt McDermott's third-inning single extended his hitting streak to eight games. McDermott would tally a steal in the game. His team-leading seventh on the year. 
 
Wade Strain tossed 3.2 scoreless innings allowing just one hit in his 2020 season debut. Strain made quick work of the Warriors tossing just 38 pitches to get 11 outs. 
 
Rojo Prarie was the first man out of the pen for the Tribe today making his team-leading seventh appearance of the season. All four of Rojo's outs were strikeouts. 
 
It was the first appearance of the season for both Wade Strain and Zack Tsakounis. The duo combined to strike out five and allow just four hits in 5.2 scoreless frames.