HAMPTON, Va. — The William & Mary baseball team fell to VMI 12-9 on a three-run walk-off homer in the inaugural Peninsula Classic at War Memorial Stadium on Wednesday night.

The Tribe (19-25) raced out to a 9-1 lead but was unable to hold off a VMI rally as the Keydets (26-20) scored 11 unanswered runs. Center fielder Ben Parker went 3-for-5 with two RBI, extending his hitting streak to 30 games in the process.

The loss snapped W&M's six-game winning streak.

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Tribe set the tone early, scoring in each of the first five innings. Third baseman Jamie Laskofski started the scoring with an RBI single that drove in Lucas Carmichael, who reached via walk.

In the second, first baseman Anthony Greco worked a leadoff walk before advancing to third on a single by catcher Jerry Barnes III. Greco came around to score on a passed ball for a 2-0 Tribe lead.

W&M starter Ryan Feczko was efficient in his brief outing, pitching 2 ⅔ scoreless innings with a pair of strikeouts. Feczko helped himself with a lineout double play in the first before retiring the Keydets in order in the second.

Second baseman Derek Holmes added to W&M's advantage with a sacrifice fly in the third to score Christian Rush. RHP Jack Weight relieved Feczko in the third and got the Tribe out of the inning with a swinging strikeout, leaving two runners aboard.

In the fourth, Parker got aboard with an RBI double to put his team ahead 4-0. Carmichael followed up with a run-scoring single of his own, making it 5-0.

The Tribe then bursted through with four runs in the fifth, kick-started by an RBI single from Barnes. Parker later drove in Barnes on a base knock.

VMI began their rally in the seventh, striking for five runs to cut the Tribe lead to 9-6. The Keydets added two more on a home run by Grayson Fitzwater in the eighth, but another lineout double play started by Holmes doubled off a runner at first to end the frame.

In the ninth, VMI tied the contest on an RBI groundout before Boston Torress delivered the game-winning home run.

Nate Hawley was the winning pitcher for the Keydets. Chad Yates took the loss for W&M.

STAT NUGGETS

• With the double, Parker is now two games away from tying the modern-era program record for longest hitting streak, owned by Ben Guez at 32 games.
• Barnes went 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBI in his return to the lineup.
• Carmichael was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a walk, upping his on-base streak to 30 games.
• RHP Reed Interdonato went two innings in relief, striking out three.
• W&M racked up 13 hits, their ninth straight game with 10+ knocks.

UP NEXT
The Tribe returns to Plumeri Park on Friday for the first of a three-game series against Charleston. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. on FloSports.