After Tuesday’s matchup with Old Dominion was canceled due to rain, William and Mary hosted Virginia Commonwealth Wednesday evening at Plumeri Park, falling to its former Colonial Athletic Association rival in a 12-5 blowout.
The Tribe (15-17, 3-4 CAA) struggled to find rhythm at the mound, using six calls to the bullpen in the almost three-and-a-half hour game, and freshman left-handed pitcher Kinston Carson was pulled out after just two innings in which he allowed three earned runs on seven hits. Additionally, five errors on the College’s fielding doomed any chance of a late rally by allowing VCU (25-12, 9-3 Atlantic 10) several runs.
“I don’t think we played good enough to beat anybody tonight, let alone a good team like them,” head coach Brian Murphy said.
“I don’t think we played good enough to beat anybody tonight, let alone a good team like them,” head coach Brian Murphy said.
The game’s action was spread throughout the night; most of the College’s runs came in during the first third of the game. The Rams took an early 1-0 lead off an RBI single in the top of the first and held their lead through the bottom half of the frame. The Tribe seized the momentum in the bottom of the second after a big double play stopped a runner from crossing the plate in the bottom of the first. The Tribe then scored three runs in the following half-inning, junior third baseman Tim Hoehn getting the tying RBI before freshman shortstop Kyle Wrighte and catcher Hunter Smith hit sacrifice flies to bring in a pair of runs to establish a 3-1 lead.
VCU refused to back down, scoring a run early in the top of the third off a line drive past Carson. Carson was pulled in exchange for junior right-hander Jon Yoest, who gave up a pair of runs and the lead on a ball that made it just out of the infield for a single. The Tribe’s response was less intense than it was in the second inning, which added just one run in the bottom of the third after senior first baseman Charley Gould hit an RBI double to tie the game at four apiece.
After an unproductive fourth inning that featured a Rams pitching change, VCU scored a pair of runs in the fifth and five in the sixth. The Tribe brought out sophomore right-handed reliever Charlie Fletcher for the fifth, who gave up three hits and two runs in his one-inning appearance. Fletcher would eventually be saddled with the loss after giving up the deciding sixth run, dropping to 2-2 on the year.
“Our starter only pitched into the second inning, so I think that necessitated the use of a lot of guys,” Murphy said. “We cut some guys short just to make sure they were available for the weekend.”
Junior right-hander Chase Bailey replaced Fletcher in the sixth inning. Unfortunately for Bailey, the Rams’ offense got hot, batting through the order in the top of the sixth. Giving up two runs before making an out, the Tribe called the bullpen again, this time bringing out sophomore right-hander Robert White with the score at 8-4.
“Our starter only pitched into the second inning, so I think that necessitated the use of a lot of guys,” Murphy said. “We cut some guys short just to make sure they were available for the weekend.”
Errors plagued the College in the sixth, accounting for two of the five runs. After the College finally escaped the inning with a strikeout at the top of the order, VCU was up 11-4. The Rams plated their final run in the seventh off freshman right-hander Jason Waldman. The Tribe’s hopes of a late rally faded as it scored just one run in the bottom of the eighth, courtesy of a VCU error. Senior right-handed closer Joseph Gauoette was the last pitching change for the College.
Overall, the College allowed 12 runs on 19 hits while committing five errors. Rams reliever Luke Crabb picked up the win, improving his record to 1-0. Gould led the Tribe with a pair of hits in three at-bats. The College had eight hits and five runs, falling further into a losing record and now two games below .500.
The College’s next eight games are on the road, beginning with a trip to CAA opponent James Madison Friday through Sunday.
God we suck. Is anyone else tired of sucking? And you can go to hell, Nick. Look at your smug little bitch face, staring down from that “About Author” section like you have all the fucking answers. All you do is bring us loyal dire-hard William & Mary baseball fans bad news, but you couldn’t care less, could you? This might just be a joke to you, but some of us take this seriously. I for one have never missed a single game. So how about you treat the sport and the athletes who participate in it with a little goddamn respect. Shave your beard, invest in contacts, and get a job. CONTRIBUTE TO SOCIETY. And don’t tell me Qdoba is a job. You can do better, Nick. Let me be the Robin Williams to your Matt Damon; let me teach you how to apply the natural talent and genius you so clearly possess, like in the amazing movie “Badwill Hunts Ketchup”. Oh, so I just finished season 2. Skyler is leaving (Thank God, she’s such a bitch) because she found out Hal has been lying to her all this time. Meanwhile, Jessica Jones died and Walt just watched her choking on her puke which was messed up but also sort of badass because it shows how cold and ruthless he’s getting. It almost came back to bite him in the ass when that piece of plane almost crushed him though. I like it a lot but I still think Sons of Anarchy was better. Maybe I just haven’t reached the REALLY good part of the show yet. I guess I’ll keep watching. Did you guys know that octopodes don’t really have brains like we do? They’re incredibly smart but most of their neurons are located in their tentacles, which is awesome because it means the tentacles develop their own personalities, like certain tentacles are shy, some are bold, etc. Also, orca whales have hair under their tongues!! Did you know that?! They’re mammals, and all mammals have hair, but you never see the hair on orcas or dolphins because they’re all sleek (better for swimming). Instead, their hair is located under their tongues!
I lied.
One of those marine animal facts was completely made up. But you’ll never know which. So next time you try to make friends with someone and you tell them one of these great marine animal facts, you’ll be gambling, because you won’t know if what you’re saying is the ridiculous ramblings of a deranged lunatic named Brandon Beejay. This is the way the world ends. This is the way the world ends. This is the way the world ends. Not with a bang, but with a potentially untrue marine animal fact.
BB