WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – A four-run sixth inning lifted visiting VCU to an 8-3 win over William & Mary baseball in a midweek match-up.
The Tribe (6-18) led 1-0 after two innings and 2-1 after four, but the Rams (17-14) tied it in the fifth before scoring four in the sixth, and two in the seventh to pull out the win.
W&M pushed across the game's first run in the bottom of the second. Junior
Matt Thomas singled up the middle. An error by VCU starter Mason Delane on a pick-off throw allowed Thomas to move around to third base. Junior
Cole Ragone ripped an RBI double of the right center field wall to bring home Thomas.
A half inning later in the third, VCU used a pair of extra-base hits to pull even. After Devan Barnett doubled down the leftfield line with one out, Michael Haydak followed with a run-scoring double to left to tie the game at one.
In the fourth, the Tribe retook the lead thanks to a two-out hit from a freshman. Thomas led off the inning with a double to left on the first pitch from Edwin Serrano. With Thomas on third and two outs, freshman catcher
Nate Goranson delivered his first collegiate hit, lining one through the left side to give the home team a 2-1 lead.
VCU answered with a pair of two-out hits in the fifth. Haydak doubled for the second time in the game and came around to score on a Tyler Locklear single to center.
The Rams took their first lead with four runs in the sixth inning. The visitosr loaded the bases with one out on a pair of walks and a hit by pitch. Jake Schroeder doubled to right field to drive home the first two VCU runs of the frame. Connor Hujsak squeezed Shroeder home from third, and Logan Amiss came home one batter later on a passed ball.
Ragone delivered another extra-base RBI hit in the bottom of the inning to close the gap to 6-3. After
Hunter Hart was hit by a pitch, Ragone scored him with a triple to the right-center field gap. Unfortunately, the Tribe junior was stranded at third to keep the deficit at three.
VCU added a pair of insurance runs in the seventh. Haydak and Locklear both walked and moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt. The Ram infielders scored on a Tribe error to extend the visitor's lead to 8-3.
Making his second start for the Green and Gold, graduate student
Michael Zubovich worked 3.2 innings, allowing an earned run and striking out three. In total, seven pitchers took the bump for the Tribe on Wednesday night, including scoreless innings from senior
Randy Prosperi and sophomore
Garrett Casey.
Brody Mack took the loss allowing three runs in just a third of an inning.
On the mount for VCU, Mason Delane and Edwin Serrano both threw three innings for the Rams. Delane allowed a run on two hits and struck out three, while Serrano picked up the win despite allowing two runs. Jack Masloff struck up four in two spotless innings, while Tyler Davis pitched a scoreless ninth.
Thomas and Ragone led the Tribe with two hits apiece. Thomas scored a pair of runs, while Ragone drove in two runs with a double and a triple.
Up Next
The Tribe continues its homestand with a three-game CAA series against Elon, April 17-18. W&M plays a doubleheader, beginning at noon, against the Phoenix on Saturday before the series finale on Sunday at 1 p.m. All three games will be streamed on the Tribe Sports Network.
