Friday, Feb. 23 to Sunday, Feb. 25, William and Mary baseball (7-1) hosted Massachusetts Lowell (3-4) for three straight victories at Plumeri Park in Williamsburg, Va.
Friday’s matchup was a decisive 11-1 victory for the Tribe. William and Mary’s pitching lineup of graduate student Alex Markus, sophomore Mark Hindy, graduate student Zack Potts and junior Travis Garnett allowed just two hits on the day. Fifth-year outfielder Joe Delossantos went 3-4 in his at-bats, including a home run, his third in five games. Graduate student infielder Luca Trigiani also recorded his first home run for William and Mary, while batting in three RBIs. Hindy was credited with the win for the Green and Gold, and junior pitcher LJ Keevan took the loss for UMass Lowell.
In Saturday’s game, the Tribe pulled out a tenth-inning walk-off 5-4 victory to clinch the series. Though the River Hawks took an early 3-0 lead after a solo homer from senior infielder Fritz Genther, the Tribe remained persistent. The Tribe recorded two runs in the bottom of the fourth, thanks to an RBI triple from Trigiani and a walk from the UMass Lowell pitcher. In the bottom of the eighth, sophomore infielder Corey Adams singled to left center field to score two, taking the lead 4-3. The River Hawks were able to even the score after a wild pitch, and the Tribe was unable to score in the bottom of the ninth, forcing the game into extra innings. In the bottom of the tenth inning, freshman infielder Kevin Francella laid down a bunt. The bunt was fielded by the UMass Lowell pitcher, who overthrew first base. Freshman infielder Trey Christman scored all the way from first to walk off the game and give the Tribe its second victory against the River Hawks, clinching the series.
In Sunday’s game, the final matchup between the teams, the Tribe pitching staff was dominant. A combined effort from five pitchers produced the Tribe’s first shutout of the season. Junior pitcher Nate Knowles started on the mound for the first four innings, allowing four hits but recording five strikeouts. Knowles allowed zero runs, maintaining his perfect ERA this season. The relief pitching staff for William and Mary of junior Carter Lovasz, sophomore Luke Calveric, freshman Hank Lippman and sophomore Owen Pierce combined to allow no hits and nine strikeouts over their five innings. The bats were alive for the Tribe all game long, but especially in the third inning, where the Green and Gold batted in five runs. It was an all-around effort from the Tribe offense led by graduate student infielder/outfielder Henry Jackson, who went 3-4 in his at bats, with Trigiani adding three RBIs.
Tuesday, Feb. 27, William and Mary defeated Norfolk State (2-6) 13-2 at Plumeri Park in Williamsburg, Va.