W&M to Host VCU This Weekend

04/17/08 1:30PM

WILLIAMSBURG - The William and Mary baseball team will return to conference action when it hosts Virginia Commonwealth University for a three-game series this weekend at Plumeri Park. Friday’s contest is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m., while Saturday’s game will start at 4 p.m. The series will conclude on Sunday with a contest at 1 p.m.

The College will send senior LHP Pete Vernon (4-2) to the hill in the opener, while the Rams will counter with senior RHP Cody Eppley (4-3). W&M sophomore RHP Kevin Landry (1-0) will get the start on Saturday against VCU’s junior LHP Ian Thomas (2-2), while junior RHP Jeremy Neustifter (2-2) will go against sophomore RHP Phillip Deane (1-3) in the series finale.

W&M enters this weekend’s series with a 26-12 record overall and is fourth in the Colonial Athletic Association standings with a 10-7 mark. In addition to posting a 20-4 record in all games played at Plumeri Park this season, the Tribe is 8-1 against conference foes in Williamsburg. Junior Mike Sheridan has been particularly productive in those nine games, hitting .441 with two home runs, 12 runs scored and four stolen bases in four attempts. Junior Rob Nickle has also come up big at the plate with three home runs and 12 RBI. On the mound, LHP Sean Grieve has been instrumental with seven relief appearances during the span and posting a 2-0 mark with two saves. Additionally, he has allowed just two earned runs in 9.0 innings with seven strikeouts.

In its last outing, the Tribe scored five runs in the top of the 10th inning to earn a 13-8 victory at Longwood on Wednesday evening. Junior Ben Guez extended his hitting streak to 28 games with a solo home run in the third inning, while Sheridan went 4-for-6 with a home run, two RBI and three runs scored. Junior Tyler Stampone drove in the go-ahead runs in the 10th inning with a two-RBI triple and finished the evening 3-for-5. Junior James Williamson also went 3-for-5 with two runs scored, while senior Tim Park extended his hitting streak to 15 games with a 2-for-4 effort.

One of the most productive offensive teams in the nation, W&M leads the conference in batting average (.339), slugging percentage (.538), on-base percentage (.423), runs scored (312), hits (442), RBI (273), doubles (100), total bases (700) and stolen bases (73). Additionally, the College entered the week ranked among the nation’s best in doubles (third), batting average (ninth), slugging percentage (10th), hits (11th), runs (15th) and stolen bases (15th). Defensively, the Tribe also ranked sixth in double plays turned.

Individually, Sheridan leads the conference in runs scored (51), hits (66), RBI (49), doubles (16) and total bases (117), while he ranks second in slugging percentage (.765) and fourth in batting average (.431). Entering the week, he ranked among the nation’s top 10 in runs scored, hits and total bases. Park leads the CAA in on-base percentage (.512) and ranks among the league’s top five in batting average (.441), runs scored (44), hits (63), doubles (14) and total bases (103). In addition to his 28-game hitting streak, Guez ranks among the conference’s top five in runs scored (57), hits (57), on-base percentage (.503) and doubles (13).

VCU has won five of its last seven games and enters this weekend’s series with a 10-21 record overall and a 3-9 mark in conference play. Justin Wright leads the team with a .337 batting average, while Jared Bolden is hitting .310 with a team-high 24 RBI, 23 runs scored and eight stolen bases.