On Wednesday, the Georgetown Hoyas baseball team (6-19, Big East) continued to struggle, dropping a matchup to Navy (18-9, 6-2 Patriot League) at Shirley Povich Field. On a day when the Blue & Gray were never really in it, the Midshipmen triumphed 12-3. The loss extended Georgetown’s losing streak to five. In the losing effort, sophomore catcher Alex Gamache launched his second homer of the year. For the visitors, senior first baseman and 2018 All-Patriot League First Team member Christian Hodge hit his fourth round-tripper of the campaign and knocked in four runs.
Freshman right-hander Carter Bosch got the call for the Hoyas, making his fifth start of the year, but never quite found his groove. Navy jumped on Bosch right out of the gates, hanging three runs on the board in the top of the first. After a single and a walk, senior right fielder Liam Lowery and Hodge hit consecutive run-scoring singles. Two batters later, Lowery was able to score when Bosch threw a wild pitch. The McLean, VA native found a punchout to escape the jam, but the Midshipmen had set the tone.
For Navy, freshman left-hander Wilson Ayers was also making his fifth start of the season. The Midshipmen southpaw settled in well, on the contrary, firing two scoreless frames to open up his day. In the third, Bosch started well, retiring the first two batters, but junior third baseman Jacob Williamson punched a single through the left side to keep the inning alive. Williamson stole second and came around to score on a base knock up the middle off the bat of freshman first baseman Zach Stevens.
In the bottom half of the inning, Gamache led off with a dinger to straightaway center, but Ayers recovered and make quick work of his teammates to salvage Navy’s 4-1 lead. In the fourth, Bosch tossed a scoreless frame, giving his offense a chance to get back into the game. Sophomore third baseman Eddie McCabe manufactured a run on his own, drawing a walk to lead off the inning, advancing to second on a grounder, and coming all the way around to score on two separate wild pitches by Ayers. After senior second baseman Ryan Weisenberg singled to left, Navy head coach Paul Kostacopoulos yanked his young lefty and brought in sophomore right-hander Tommy Goodridge. Kostacopoulos’ decision proved wise, as Goodridge sat down the next two Hoyas to protect the two-run lead.
That was Georgetown’s last chance to get back into the ballgame, as Navy put up a four-spot in the next half inning. After issuing a walk, Bosch surrendered a run-scoring double to Lowery, his last batter of the afternoon. Freshman left-hander Angelo Tonas relieved Bosch, but couldn’t keep the game close. Tonas was hit for two singles and a double, allowing three more Navy runners to cross the plate. Sophomore left-hander Owen Lamon was called upon to get the last out of the inning, inducing a flyout from junior shortstop Michael Coritz, but by then Navy had claimed a commanding 8-2 lead.
At the end of the day, Bosch allowed six earned runs on eight hits and issued three free passes over four complete innings. He was tagged for the loss, falling to 1-3.
Both teams were scoreless in the sixth and seventh innings, but the Navy bats struck again in the top of the eighth. Freshman right-hander Miller Freeman entered the game and was unable to retire a single batter. After Coritz reached on a bunt single, Freeman issued a walk to put runners on first and second with the heart of Navy’s order looming. Lowery cashed in a run with a single up the middle, then Hodge crushed a three-run bomb to left-center. After Freeman walked Williamson on five pitches, Georgetown head coach Pete Wilk had seen enough. Wilk called on freshman right-hander Chase Walter to make just his third pitching appearance of the year, and Walter was able to retire the side.
In the bottom of the ninth, Georgetown picked up a consolation run to make it 12-3. Despite the rough game, Lamon, Walter, freshman right-hander Anthony Redfern, and junior right-hander Nick Morreale each registered scoreless relief appearances out of the bullpen.
This weekend, the Hoyas will try to get on track with a three-game set against Eastern Tennessee State (19-5, 3-0 Southern Conference) in Johnson City, TN, where the Buccaneers are 16-1 in 2019. The Buccaneers, owners of a five-game win streak knocked off No. 23 Tennessee on Tuesday, and UNC Asheville on Wednesday. The weekend series will begin on Friday with first pitch set for 6:00 p.m. ET. For continuing coverage of all Georgetown sports, follow @GUVoiceSports on Twitter.
