WILLIAMSBURG, VA. – Dominant starting pitching from lefties
Justin Pearson and
Zach Tsakounis boosted the Tribe in a pair of wins over James Madison Sunday afternoon at Plumeri Park. The wins up the Tribe's CAA record to 8-7 on the season.
Justin Pearson was masterful for the Tribe allowing one run over 6.0 innings to earn his third win of the season.
Ben Williamson tossed out three hits and
Hunter Hart knocked in three runs in the 6-3 game one victory.
Tsakounis matched the outing tossing 7.0 scoreless innings allowing just five hits, striking out five, and walking no batters in the Green and Gold's 1-0 win. The lone run came on a
Matt Thomas double scoring
Mark Trotta from second.
The teams traded scoreless innings in the opening game before James Madison broke through in the third. Fox Semones shot a two-out double into right field and scored on Conor Hartigan's single through the right side of the infield.
The Tribe struck back to take the lead in the bottom of the fourth.
Matt McDermott led off with a double inside the third base line moved to third on a sac fly and scored on a
Matt Thomas fielder's choice. Matt Trehub looped a single into left center and the bases would load as
David Hogarth singled through the left side.
Hunter Hart laced a base hit into right scoring Thomas and Trehub and giving the Tribe a 3-1 edge.
The Green and Gold tacked on three more in the bottom of the fifth on two hits and four walks.
Ben Williamson led off with a double one-hopping the wall in left.
Mark Trotta legged out an infield single and both would score on walks from Trehub and Hogarth respectively. The sixth run came as Thomas scored on a
Hunter Hart ground out.
James Madison would score twice in the bottom of the seventh but
Matt Howat was able to get a big strikeout to end the game. Pearson allowed just four hits and struck out four in the matinee.
Both starters were dominant through the first four innings of game two keeping the offenses off the scoreboard. The Tribe would finally break through in the bottom of the fifth as Trotta roped a two out double down the left field line and scored on a double off the base of the wall in center to open a 1-0 lead.
In the top of the sixth JMU put men on first and third with two outs. After falling behind 3-0, Tsakounis induced a ground out to keep the Dukes off the scoreboard and preserve the one run advantage.
Tsakounis would finish the day retiring the Dukes in order in the top half of the seventh recording his fifth strikeout of the day and getting a pair of fly balls to center. The Tribe could not push home a run in the home half keeping the score 1-0.
Ben Greenspon entered for the Tribe in the eighth and retired the side in order with a strikeout and a pair of fly outs. The sophomore earned his second save on the season finishing the game with a 4-6-3 double play to give the Green and Gold a 1-0 win.
Up next William & Mary will travel to Wilmington for a three game set with UNCW next weekend.
