WILLIAMSBURG, Va. - The William and Mary baseball team will welcome the Norfolk State Spartans to Plumeri Park on Saturday, April 28, for an afternoon doubleheader scheduled to get underway at 1 p.m.  Prior to Saturday's first pitch, the William and Mary athletics department will hold a special dedication ceremony honoring the life and contributions of the late Mr. Tommy Smith.  Fans can follow the action online at TribeAthletics.com with live audio and stats.  Game one will be broadcasted live on 92.3 FM The Tide in Williamsburg with Jay Colley on the call.

Projected Starters
Game 1 - 1 PM
W&M - RHP Brett Koehler (4-1, 3.43 ERA)
NSU - LHP Ryan VanAssche (3-4, 3.38 ERA)        

Game 2 - 4:30 PM
W&M - RHP Matt Davenport (5-3, 1.89 ERA)
NSU - RHP Justin Bhatti (3-4, 3.79 ERA)

Scouting the Tribe
The College returns home to the friendly confines of Plumeri Park for the first time since defeating Richmond, 17-4, on April 10.   During its time away from Williamsburg, the College posted a record of 2-5 on its seven-game road stint, which included trips to Georgia State, East Carolina and VCU.  For the year, the Green and Gold is 25-18 overall and 10-11 in CAA play.

Sophomore third baseman Ryan Lindemuth is batting .354 with 34 RBIs, four home runs and a team-best 14 stolen bases.  Senior left fielder Tadd Bower has compiled an average of .328 to go along with 29 runs batted in and a team-high 15 doubles.  For the year, junior second baseman Kevin Nutter owns an average of .314, while junior center fielder Ryan Brown is batting .311 to go along with 44 runs scored.  Freshman first baseman Michael Katz has belted a team-high eight home runs and has driven in a team-best 42 runs, while posting an average of .304.

On the mound, senior RHP Matt Davenport (5-3) headlines an impressive W&M pitching staff.  For the season, Davenport owns an ERA of 1.89, and in his 81 innings of work, the Chesapeake, Va., native has fanned 56 batters.  Junior RHP Brett Koehler (4-1) has compiled an ERA of 3.43 through 44.2 innings of action.  In nine appearances this season, the Glen Gardner, N.J., native has notched 31 strikeouts while surrendering just eight walks.  Senior LHP Cole Shain (4-2) has been solid during his final campaign.  For the year, Shain has seen 52.1 innings of work, compiling an ERA of 3.27 while striking out 35 batters.

Scouting the Spartans
Norfolk State comes to Plumeri Park riding a four-game winning streak, which includes an 8-4 win over North Carolina Central on Tuesday night in Norfolk, Va.  In the game against the Eagles, the Spartans pounded out 13 hits, while holding the NCCU bats at bay with 12 strikeouts and four hits.  For the year, NSU is 15-21 overall and 11-7 in MEAC action.

At the plate, sophomore outfielder Cameron Day is batting .373 with 18 RBIs, four triples and a slugging percentage of .490 to lead NSU.  Senior shortstop Rafael Colon has driven in 11 runs, while posting an average of .315.  Rounding out the Spartan output is senior catcher Chris Warren, who is batting .298 with 14 RBIs and eight doubles.

Sophomore LHP Ryan VanAssche (3-4) and classmate RHP Justin Bhatti (3-4) are expected to get the starts this Saturday.  For the year, VanAssche owns an ERA of 3.38, while fanning 52 batters in 58.2 innings of work.  A native of Woodbridge, Va., Bhatti has seen 54.2 innings of action, compiling an ERA of 3.79.  As a team, the Spartans own an ERA of 4.53.

NSU Series Notes:
In a series that dates back to 1985, the College owns a 26-7 series lead over Norfolk State.  However, in its last meeting this season on March 21, the Spartans defeated the Tribe, 3-1, in Norfolk, Va.  In Williamsburg, the Green and Gold is 17-3 against NSU and a perfect 12-0 versus the Spartans at Plumeri Park.

Cumulative Score - W&M 323 NSU 162
Last Meeting - W&M 1 NSU 3 (3/21/12) (A)
Largest Margin of Victory - 20, (2/12/03) W, 22-2
Largest Margin of Defeat - 11, (4/12/85) L, 14-3
Longest Winning Streak - 25, (5/4/96 - 3/25/09)
Longest Losing Streak - 4 (Dates: Unknown)
Largest Home Attendance - 375, (5/5/01) W, 18-1
Record in February - (9-0)
Record in March - (9-3)
Record in April - (4-1)
Record in May - (3-0)
Month Unknown - (1-3)
Overall Record - (26-7)
Record at Plumeri Park - (12-0)
Record on the Road - (8-4)

Tommy Smith Dedication
The William and Mary Athletics program will hold a special dedication ceremony in the Memory of Tommy Smith prior to the baseball program's Saturday doubleheader against Norfolk State at Plumeri Park.  Approximately 30 minutes before the first pitch, the Tribe will honor the life and contributions of the late Tommy Smith.  Smith was a life-long supporter of the baseball program, who passed away in late 2011.   

The William and Mary Athletics program and the Smith Family are teaming up to honor his memory by raising money towards endowing a baseball scholarship in his name and his widow's, Josie, name. 

Anyone interested in contributing to the Tommy and Josie Smith Baseball Scholarship Endowment are encouraged to call Al Albert in the William and Mary Tribe Club at (757) 221.3438 / afalbe@wm.edu, or by going online a www.TribeClub.com and clicking the "Make Donation" link off the main page (designate the gift for the Tommy Smith Baseball Endowment).       

Tribe Baseball in the National Rankings
In the latest national rankings released by the NCAA on April 24, William and Mary and its players were well represented in various categories.  As a team, W&M ranks second in the nation with 32 sacrifice flies.  The College ranks 15th in country with 189 base-on-balls, while its 2.28 walks allowed per contest sits at eighth best in the country.  For the year, the Green and Gold has totaled 280 runs scored, which is good for 19th in the nation.  As a team, W&M ranks 22nd in the country with an ERA of 3.02. 

Individually, senior Matt Davenport ranks 14th in the nation with four complete games, while his ERA of 1.89 ranks 35th in the country.  Junior Ryan Brown and sophomore Ryan Lindemuth have each scored 44 runs this season, which ranks the pair at 17th in the nation.  Freshman Michael Katz's eight sacrifice flies ranks second in the country, while his 40 RBIs stand at 30th nationally.