Tribe Defeats No. 16 Virginia, 6-5

04/23/08 9:50PM

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - The William and Mary baseball team continued its impressive play with a 6-5 victory at 16th-ranked Virginia on Wednesday evening in Charlottesville.

With the victory, the Tribe improves its record to 30-12 and needs just eight more wins to establish a single-season program record. Additionally, the College has won 14 of its last 16 games and extends its winning streak to five games.

Junior Ben Guez extended his hitting streak to 32 games with a 3-for-5 effort. The Houston, Texas native also recorded two RBI, a run scored and a stolen base. Junior Tyler Stampone also came up big, going 2-for-5 with a home run, two RBI and two runs scored. Junior James Williamson also posted a multi-hit performance (2-for-3) and scored once with a RBI. Senior Tim Park had his 18-game hitting streak snapped.

Sophomore RHP Cody Winslow (4-1) earned the win, working 5.0 innings with three earned runs allowed. Senior RHP Pat Kantakevich worked a 1-2-3 ninth inning with two strikeouts to record his eighth save of the season. With the save, Kantakevich now ranks tied for second on W&M’s single-season list with Bill Bray and Ben Shepard.

The Tribe got on the scoreboard first with a pair of runs in the top of the third inning. Sophomore Chris Jensen drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Williamson. After reaching base on a single to left, Stampone stole second to put two runners in scoring position. Guez then drove in both runners with a double down the left field line.

Virginia put three runs across with two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning to take a 3-2 advantage. Jeremy Farrell got things started with a walk, and David Coleman followed with a single to put two runners aboard. Franco Valdes brought in a pair of runs with double to left center, while John Barr plated the third score with a single to left.

The College answered with three runs in the top of the fifth to reclaim the lead, 5-3. Williamson began the frame with a single to center, and Stampone followed with a two-run blast over the left center field fence. After Guez recorded the Tribe’s third straight hit of the inning with a single up the middle, Neal Davis entered the game in relief of starting pitcher Jeff Lorick. Guez then stole second and advanced to third on the play when UVA’s first baseman’s throw to second got away. Junior Mike Sheridan plated the third run of the inning with an infield single.

W&M added another run in the following frame to push its lead to 6-3. Junior Lanny Stanfield registered a one-out double to right center, and two batters latter Williamson drove him in with another double.

The Cavaliers got a run back in the bottom half of the sixth. With freshman RHP Logan Billbrough on the mound in relief, Farrell drew a one-out walk and stole second. Coleman then plated him with a single to right center.

UVA narrowed W&M’s lead to 6-5 with another run in the eighth. With sophomore RHP Kevin Landry on the mound in relief, David Adams recorded a one-out single up the middle and moved into scoring position with a stolen base. Dan Grovatt followed with a RBI double down the right field line.

The Tribe will return to conference action when it plays a three-game series at Towson this weekend.

Box Score