TEANECK, N.J. – A go-ahead, three-run home run off the bat of Joe Delossantos proved to be the difference for William & Mary baseball (21-9, 5-2 CAA), as the Tribe and Monmouth (7-16, 3-4 CAA) carried a pitchers' duel into the eighth inning of Friday's contest.

The Green & Gold opened its seventh consecutive weekend with a victory, taking down the Hawks, 4-2, in the opening game of the three-game conference weekend series.

Heading into the eighth inning, just two runs had been scored in the contest, producing a 1-1 tie, with five total hits on the board across both teams.

The Tribe broke the game open in the eighth inning, producing three hits and three runs, the latter of which all scored on Delossantos' home run.

Delossantos, who has well-acquainted himself with the long ball, drove in his 33^rd, 34^th and 35^th runs of the year. His eighth home run of the year marked the 26^th of his career, as the outfielder tied for 10^th all-time in program history in career homers.

Nate Knowles and Mark Hindy combined for the Tribe's effort on the mound, both tying their career-long outings with 5.0 and 4.0 innings pitched, respectively. The win marks the ninth game on the season in which the Tribe have allowed two or fewer runs. Of those games, Knowles has started five and Hindy has made relief appearances in six.

For the ninth time in 11 starts, Knowles allowed one or fewer runs. He gave up only three hits while striking out three over five frames.

Hindy gave up just two hits over his 4.0 innings of work, allowing two or fewer hits for the eighth time this year. His one-earned-run outing is the 10^th of its kind over his 11 appearances, and he tallied six strikeouts on the day to tie for his second-most this season. Collecting the victory, the lefty improves to 5-2, his five-win mark leading the Tribe.

Both teams got off to a slow start, with the only baserunner in the first two innings coming from a Hawks hit in the bottom of the first. In Monmouth's half of the third, the host scratched its first run across on a wild pitch.

Hitting leadoff for the third time and leading off the fourth inning, freshman Anthony Greco sent a first pitch single through the right side for the Tribe's first hit of the day. 

W&M's ability to capitalize on free bases was the driving factor in the middle innings as a pair of walks put runners in scoring position in the fifth as the Tribe drew the first walks of the day off of Monmouth's starter.

Kevin Francella singled to left field to drive in Nate Goranson, tying the game up at 1-1.

Following two quiet innings for both teams, W&M's three runs on three hits in the eighth frame led them to victory.

Derek Holmes got the Green & Gold started, pinch hitting in the eighth inning, knocking a 1-2 pitch into center field for a single. Ben Parker followed with a single of his own. Delossantos etched his name into the game with his go-ahead home run to score Parker and pinch runner Corey Adams.

In a comeback attempt that fell short, the Hawks scratched a single run across in the bottom of the ninth before Hindy shut the door on the victory.

Displaced for the first game due to weather, the remainder of the series will be played in West Long Branch, N.J., at MU Baseball Stadium. The Tribe will meet the Hawks at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 6 for the second of the three-game series as they look to secure their third-straight conference series.
 
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