Sheridan Homers Twice But Towson Defeats Tribe, 15-12

04/25/08 7:45PM

TOWSON, Md. - William and Mary and Towson combined to hit nine home runs, as the Tribe had its five-game winning streak snapped with a 15-12 loss at TU in the series opener on Friday afternoon.

Junior Mike Sheridan recorded his third multi-home run game of the season, going 2-for-5 with two home runs, four RBI and two runs scored. Junior Rob Nickle went 2-for-3 with a home run, three RBI and three runs scored, while classmate Tyler Stampone also hit a home run and finished the day 2-for-5 with two RBI. Junior James Williamson posted a 3-for-5 effort with two RBI and a run scored, while senior Tim Park went 3-for-5 with a run scored. Junior Ben Guez had his 32-game hitting streak snapped.

The Tribe (30-13, 13-8) jumped out to a 5-0 advantage in the top of the first inning. Senior Paul Juliano was hit by a pitch to start the frame. After Stampone advanced Juliano to second with a sacrifice bunt, Sheridan homered over the left center field fence to give the College a 2-0 lead. Park followed with a single, and senior Greg Maliniak walked to put two runners aboard. Nickle then hit the College’s second home run of the inning, a three-run blast to right.

Towson (23-19, 9-10) got on the scoreboard in the bottom half of the inning with three runs. Nick Natoli drew a leadoff walk, and Terry Gallo followed with a single through the right side to put runners on the corners. Natoli then scored when Brian Conley grounded into a 4-6-3 double play. Matt Collins followed with a single, and Jason Stifler drove him in with a two-run home run over the left field fence.

W&M pushed the lead to 6-3 in the second frame when Stampone hit a two-out solo home run to left center.

As it did in the first inning, the Tigers answered in the second frame and cut the margin to two, 6-4. Austin Harclerode led off the inning with a walk, and Gary Helmick followed with a single through the left side to put runners on first and second. After advancing to third on a failed pickoff attempt, Harclerode scored when Natoli reached on a fielder’s choice.

TU cut the lead to 6-5 in the third when Stifler led off the inning with his second home run of the afternoon, a solo blast to left center.

The College answered with a run the following inning. Williamson began the frame with a single through the left side and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Juliano. Stampone followed with a RBI single to right center.

Towson took its first lead of the game, 9-7, with four runs in the fourth. Natoli drew a one-out walk, and Gallo reached on a bunt single to put two runners aboard. Conley followed with a RBI double down the left field line, while Collins drove in two more runs with a double down the left field line. Consecutive singles by Stifler and Steve Yarsinsky plated the fourth run of the frame.

W&M evened the score in the top of the fifth with a pair of runs. With RHP Drew Permison on in relief of starting pitcher Zach Umberger, Maliniak got things started with a two-out walk. After junior Lanny Stanfield was hit by a pitch, both runners moved into scoring position on a balk. Williamson then recorded his third hit of the afternoon with a two-RBI double to left center.

With freshman RHP Logan Billbrough on in relief, Towson put four more runs across in the fifth to go ahead, 13-9. With one out, Gallo was hit by a pitch and Conley plated him with a two-run blast. Collins followed with a double to right center, and Stifler hit his third home run of the afternoon, a two-run shot to left.

The Green and Gold got a run back in the seventh inning. Nickle led off the frame with a triple to right center, and Stanfield drove him in with a single up the middle.

W&M cut the lead to one with a pair of runs in the eighth inning. With RHP Josh Squatrito on in relief to start the frame, Guez drew a leadoff walk and Sheridan followed with his second two-run home run of the day. Back-to-back singles by Park and Maliniak brought LHP Jon Dupski in out of the bullpen. While Park advanced to third on a fly out by Nickle and Maliniak stole second to put the go-ahead run in scoring position, Stanfield struck out and Williamson flew out to right to end the inning.

Towson answered with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the frame to take a 15-12 lead. With senior LHP Sean Grieve on the hill, Yarsinsky drew a leadoff walk and Helmick hit a two-out blast down the left field line.

The teams will play the second game of the series on Saturday at 1 p.m.

Box Score