The Georgetown baseball team (14-12 overall, 2-2 BE) used the long ball to split a doubleheader last weekend against Notre Dame to start its conference season and end a 24-game losing streak against the Irish. The Hoyas scored six of their 11 runs in the two games by the home run.
In the opener, the Hoyas were paced by sophomore infielder Joe Graziano (2-3, R) and senior infielder Parker Brooks (2-4, HR, 2 RBI, R), who accounted for five of their team’s six hits. Senior pitcher Eddie Pena (1-2) took the 6-2 loss after allowing five earned runs in six innings on 106 pitches. The Irish were led by junior pitcher Tom Thornton, who was throwing a shutout until Brooks took him deep with two out in the seventh, and junior rightfielder Craig Cooper (2-2, 2 RBI, BB, SB), who was Notre Dame’s only multi-hit player.
In the nightcap, the Georgetown bats came to life for nine runs on 19 hits. The Hoyas were paced to a 9-8 victory in 12 innings by senior catcher Andrew Cleary (4-6, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R, BB) and junior centerfielder Timmy Jones (3-7, R).
“The victory at Notre Dame was a huge step in the right direction for this program, especially coming in the fashion that it did,” head coach Pete Wilk said. “I’m hoping we can build on that win and open some eyes in the Big East and on the East Coast.”
Senior pitcher Tom Braun (1-0) came through in the clutch to get the win and end the losing streak, holding the Irish to only one hit in the final four-and-a-third innings. The game seesawed back and forth, with both teams having more than enough chances to put the game away. Each team put five leadoff men on base, but the Hoyas won the battle with runners in scoring position, batting .357 to Notre Dame’s .227.
Georgetown won the game in the 12th with a two-out blast off the bat of junior Ryan Craft (3-6, HR, 2 RBI). It was Craft’s fourth home run this season and capped off an amazing week for the first baseman, who was named Big East Player of the Week for his efforts. Craft hit .473 (9-19) for the week with nine RBI, a double and four home runs, helping the Hoyas to a 2-2 Big East record as the team also split a doubleheader with conference foe West Virginia.
“Ryan brings us a legitimate power bat to go in the middle of the order,” Wilk said. “He’s been a huge addition to our program and it’s nice to see his hard work over the last two years is paying off.”
Georgetown continues its Big East season with another doubleheader against Villanova this coming weekend.
