This President’s Day weekend the Georgetown baseball team (0-3, Big East) kicked off its season at David F. Couch Ballpark in Winston-Salem, NC. Unfortunately, the Hoyas dropped all three of their games against Wake Forest (2-2, ACC), Gardner-Webb (3-1, Big South), and Navy (2-1, Patriot League).
On Friday, the Demon Deacons downed the Hoyas 7-2. Sophomore pitcher Nick Morreale started the game on the mound, marking his first career start. The right-hander pitched well, lasting five innings and surrendering two runs on just three hits. Despite allowing four walks, Morreale racked up five strikeouts. Junior pitcher Jack Cushing then relieved Morreale, and had a rough season debut. Cushing allowed five runs (four earned) on five hits in two innings. Senior pitcher Matt Randolph came in to fire a scoreless eighth, but the damage had already been done.
The offensive was quiet the entire game, putting pressure on the Hoyas pitchers. Wake Forest’s junior pitcher Griffin Roberts held down the Georgetown bats with six innings of two-run ball. Junior pitcher Rayne Supple entered the game in the seventh inning and was dominant, pitching three hitless innings to set the game to bed. On the bright side, senior catcher Sammy Stevens tied the game at 2-2 in the top of the sixth. With sophomore infielder/outfielder Ryan M. Davis on first, Stevens pulled a home run over the right field fence to even the score. Unfortunately, Cushing imploded a half-inning later and the Georgetown bats were not heard from again. They mustered just four hits the whole game.
On Saturday, the Hoyas had no better luck in their second game. The Runnin’ Bulldogs of Gardner-Webb handed Georgetown a brutal 15-1 loss in a game that only lasted five innings due to rain. Freshman pitcher Owen Lamon started for Georgetown and was given a rude welcoming to college ball. The Runnin’ Bulldogs hammered Lamon for eight runs (seven earned) on eight hits in just three innings. Randolph, graduate student pitcher Connor Cuse, and senior pitcher Alex Bernauer combined for the final two innings, allowing eight runs. Overall, the Georgetown pitching staff twelve walks, which certainly can’t continue if the Hoyas plan on winning games.
The offense was once again absent, collecting just three hits. Junior infielder Ryan Weisenberg crushed an RBI double over the center fielder’s head in the bottom of the first, but that was all for the bats. Sophomore left-handed pitcher Isaac Campbell fired four innings for Gardner-Webb, allowing no earned runs. Campbell did surrender six walks, but Georgetown was unable to capitalize upon those gifts. Redshirt freshman pitcher Carey Spratlin pitched a scoreless fifth with two strikeouts before the game was called.
On Sunday morning, Georgetown played their third and final game of the weekend against the Navy Midshipmen. The Hoyas looked much sharper than in their previous two games, but the Midshipmen prevailed 2-1. Senior right-handed pitcher Kevin Superko started the game and was pulled after a strong 5.2 innings, but allowed two runs (one earned) on just four hits. Sophomore pitcher Brent Killam and senior pitcher Jimmy Swad closed the game out with 2.1 combined innings of shutout ball, but the bats couldn’t cash in on any of their opportunities.
The Hoyas had plenty of men on base, collecting eight hits and three walks throughout the game, but they just couldn’t find the clutch hits to bring the runs home. Senior left fielder Austin Shirley racked up three base hits and two stolen bases, and Davis collected two hits and a walk. Freshman shortstop Eddie McCabe also notched the first base hit of his college career. Navy’s junior right-handed pitcher Andrew Sauer tossed five scoreless innings to pick up the win.
Although the weekend was certainly disappointing, the season is still very young. Georgetown will have to address several issues, namely timely hitting, cutting down on walks allowed, and tightening up the defense (Georgetown committed five errors this weekend). The Hoyas will be back at it for a three-game weekend series at Davidson (2-1, Atlantic-10) February 23-25. The Wildcats kicked off their season this weekend with a three game series against Lafayette (1-2, Patriot League), and will play Wake Forest on Tuesday. Follow @GUVoiceSports on Twitter for more updates and breaking news.
