Tigers comeback stops skid to take game one of senior series 

By Tommy Pelle, Deputy Sports Editor

With the final weekend of the CAA regular season upon us, the Towson Tigers hosted the William & Mary Tribe. With the Tigers looking to play spoiler to William & Mary’s playoff hopes, the Tigers were able to secure a 3-2 win in the first game of the series. 

Both teams are coming into this series in poor form. After entering last weekend’s series against the last place Hofstra Pride just one game back of a playoff spot, Towson was swept to eliminate themselves from tournament contention. For the Tribe, a six game losing streak has seen the team fall from the second seed to a four-way tie for the final four spots. 

“We all point to the Hofstra series as the one you didn’t get,” said head coach Matt Tyner. “No, we lost our shot early on… I think this team has the type of character, and we’ve talked about day in and day out, we can beat anybody, but we can also lose to anybody.”

From the first inning it was clear the Tigers were ready to go. A leaping catch by left fielder Max D’Alessandro on the warning track saved an early run from scoring.

In the bottom half of the frame, it took only one pitch for the Tigers to take the lead. Shortstop Jordan Peyton launched his fourth homer of the year over the left field fence for an early 1-0 lead.

In the top of the second the Tribe were quick to even things back up. Second baseman Henry Jackson’s first extra base hit of the season scored right fielder Charlie Iriotakis to even things up at 1-1.

On the next at-bat, a diving play from Towson second baseman AJ Kolb on a grounder up the middle kept Jackson from scoring. With runners on first and third, William & Mary attempted to steal second base. However, a strike ‘em out, throw ‘em out for starter Matt Leikus and catcher Brian Heckelman limited the damage.

The Tribe struck again in the top of the third. After getting hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, center fielder Ben Parker stole second base to put a runner in scoring position with no outs. Left fielder Lucas Carmichael’s ensuing single through the left side gave the Tribe a 2-1 lead. 

For fans of pitching and defense, the next three innings catered to such tastes. Across the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, Leikus, Ryder Jeske and Matt Lynch allowed just one hit and three baserunners. At shortstop, Peyton made several outstanding plays, including a diving play on a line drive to rob Henry Jackson of his second hit. 

“That’s the player [Peyton] of the game for me,” said Tyner. “We’re not even in this game if he doesn’t make those plays.”

In the bottom of the seventh, the Tigers bats finally reignited. A D’Alessandro single and Brett Ahalt double put runners on second and third with no outs. Pinch hitter MJ Phillips scored D’Alessandro on a sacrifice fly to left field, tying the game at 2-2.

In the bottom of the eighth, in a tie game, Towson had the chance to do something the team had struggled to do for most of the season, win a close game.

After a leadoff single and stolen base for Peyton, the Tigers most reliable hitter Heckelman stepped up to the plate. On a full count, after seeing nothing but sliders from Tribe reliever Carter Lovasz, Heckelman lined a single to left center, scoring Peyton and giving Towson a 3-2 lead. 

In the ninth, the Tigers would call on senior reliever Nate Nabholz. After a leadoff double and wild pitch, however, Nabholz faced an uphill battle.

After allowing that leadoff runner to reach third, Nabholz stranded him. In his senior series, Nabholz proceeded to strike out the side. 

“I mean, three strikeouts back-to-back-to-back, strike out the side in the top of the ninth with a runner on third, nobody out. Are you kidding me?” said Tyner. “You know what I want to say, but you print that and it wouldn’t go good for either of us.”

Peyton went 2-4 with a home run and a single. Jeske, Lynch, Kyle Emmons and Nabholz pitched five innings of scoreless relief, with Emmons picking up his third win and Nabholz getting his second save.

The Tigers are now 20-34. The Tigers last two games of the season are 5/16, with first pitch scheduled for 3 pm, and senior day on 5/17 with first pitch scheduled for 1 pm, with senior day festivities scheduled to begin at 12:30 pm.