Tuesday, April 4, William and Mary (22-12, 7-5 CAA) won 13-3 against Maryland (19-13, 4-2 Big Ten) at Bob “Turtle” Smith Stadium in College Park, Maryland.
Graduate student Brian Craven started on the mound for the Tribe. Maryland put up the first run of the game with a sacrifice fly from fifth year outfielder Matt Woods to score senior infielder Nick Lorusso. The Tribe was quick to respond in the top of the second inning, with freshman outfielder Tank Yaghoubi starting off the inning with a base hit to right field. He soon advanced to second on a Maryland error that put freshman infielder Corey Adams on first. Graduate student infielder Cole Ragone singled to score Yaghoubi, tying the score 1-1. Freshman infielder Ryan Bhojwani hit a massive double down the left field line, scoring Adams and giving the Tribe its first lead of the game. William and Mary scored its third run of the inning thanks to an RBI from sophomore outfielder Lucas Carmichael, ending the inning with a 3-1 Tribe lead.
Although freshman pitcher Owen Pierce gave up two runs after taking over for the Tribe in the bottom of the second, he escaped from the inning with both teams even at 3-3.
In the top of the fourth, the bats came alive for the Tribe. Sophomore shortstop Luca Danos singled, followed by an inside-the-park home run from senior catcher Max Winters to retake the lead, 5-3. Maryland brought in junior pitcher Logan Ott, but the change at the mound didn’t faze senior outfielder Joe Delossantos, who homered to left center, putting the Tribe on top 6-3.
Senior pitcher Tom Mayer came to the mound in the bottom of the fourth and made quick work of the inning. Action picked up again in the top of the sixth, with a leadoff home run from Danos, his first of the season.
“I was just trying to stay short and drive it with two strikes on me,” Danos said. “It was good to get the first one under the belt. Today was an awesome team win with everyone contributing.”
In the top of the seventh, William and Mary loaded the bases thanks to a walk from junior designated hitter Nate Goranson, a single from Yaghoubi and a hit by pitch from Ragone. Sophomore outfielder Nick Lottchea came in to pinch hit and came through with a single to left, driving in two men and extending the Tribe lead to six runs. A bases loaded walk from Carmichael scored another run and William and Mary entered the bottom of the inning with a 10-3 lead.
Graduate student pitcher Rojo Prarie came to the mound in the bottom of the seventh, starting with back-to-back strikeouts. Maryland was able to hit three consecutive base hits, but Prarie shut down Maryland’s best scoring chance, striking out his third batter of the inning and leaving three runners on base.
Three consecutive walks loaded the bases for the Tribe in the top of the eighth. Lottchea then walked to score a run, as did Danos. Patience from Tribe hitters and bases on balls from Maryland’s freshman pitcher Eliakim Stowe plated two more runs for the Tribe. A pitching change from Maryland produced a final out which ended the inning. The Terrapins were unable to produce any runs in the bottom of the eighth due to solid pitching from Prarie.
In the top of the ninth, walks again proved to be an issue for Maryland’s pitching staff. With the bases loaded, Ragone came to bat, where he watched four balls go by, scoring Goranson. The inning ended with William and Mary leading 13-3.
A double play and a strike out from Prarie concluded the game, holding off any last ditch efforts from Maryland to close the overwhelming deficit. Pierce received credit for the win, with Prarie taking the save.
“We’ve done a great job of taking one game at a time and not looking too far ahead,” Danos said. “But this win will definitely give us confidence going into the weekend. We have a huge CAA series coming up to try to get some separation in the standings.”
William and Mary looks to continue their hot month as they prepare to host Elon for an inter conference series starting Friday, April 14 in Williamsburg.
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