On Wednesday, the Georgetown Hoyas baseball team (9-24, 0-3 Big East) used timely hitting and strong pitching to nab a 4-3 victory at Coppin State (16-13, 9-3 MEAC). With the tightly played win, the Hoyas avenged a 14-5 loss to the Eagles on March 13 and also snapped a three-game skid after they were swept in Cincinnati by Xavier (12-24, 3-0 Big East) last weekend. Sophomore third baseman Eddie McCabe tallied four hits on the day, while freshman right-hander Anthony Redfern made his best start of the season, firing five innings of one-run ball. Redfern allowed just four hits and fanned a career-high seven batters. For the hosts, freshman right-hander Carter Harbut was effective, turning in six innings of work and allowing two runs.
Both freshman righties cruised through the first three innings, putting up zeroes across the board. Harbut escaped a first inning jam when Georgetown had men on first and third with one out by inducing a double play grounder from freshman right fielder Michael Willis. Otherwise, there was not much noise until the top of the fourth. McCabe got it started with a leadoff single to left, but Harbut retired the next two Hoyas. Junior first baseman Freddy Achecar III, however, ignited a two-out rally with a booming triple into the left-center field gap, chasing home McCabe. In the next at bat, senior second baseman Ryan Weisenberg slapped a single through the left side to score Achecar III. Harbut retired the next batter but faced a 2-0 deficit heading back to the dugout.
Harbut recovered in the top of the fifth, tossing a scoreless frame, and in the bottom half, it was Coppin State who scored with two outs. Sophomore second baseman Brandon Watkins lined a leadoff single into left, but Redfern quickly got two outs. After an intentional walk, sophomore shortstop Derek Lohr made the Hoyas pay, depositing an RBI single into center field. Redfern kept his composure, however, striking out senior first baseman Nazier McIlwain on his final pitch of the day.
In the top of the sixth, the Hoyas put men on first and second with nobody out, but Harbut once again tightroped out of a jam, getting a flyout, a lineout, and a strikeout. In the bottom half, freshman left-hander Angelo Tonas relieved Redfern and went on to throw scoreless sixth and seventh innings.
The 2-1 Georgetown lead endured until the bottom of the eighth, when freshman right-hander Chase Walter entered the game. Walter hit the first batter he faced, and after getting a fortuitous lineout, gave up an RBI triple to Coppin State sophomore catcher Conner Walker, erasing the Hoya lead. The next Eagle up to bat attempted a squeeze bunt, but it was right back to Walter who threw home to get Walker at the plate. Walter got a ground out to end the frame, but the damage had been done.
Luckily for Walter, his offense picked him up with some clutch base knocks in the top of the ninth. Weisenberg led off with a double to center and advanced to third on a passed ball. A groundout and a walk later, graduate student left fielder Kyle Ruedisili executed a perfect squeeze play to bring home Weisenberg just minutes after the Eagles’ unsuccessful attempt. Next, junior center fielder Ryan M. Davis tacked on an insurance run with a triple into the right-center field gap, scoring freshman shortstop Alex Rosen who had walked earlier in the inning.
In the bottom of the ninth, head coach Pete Wilk handed the Hoyas’ 4-2 lead to sophomore left-hander Jacob Grzebinski. The southpaw got the leadoff man to fly out, but then surrendered a double to junior first baseman Justin Banks. After an infield pop up, McIlwain singled home Banks, but Grzebinski struck out the next batter to silence the comeback effort and pick up his fourth save of the year. Walter was credited with the win, his first decision of the year.
This weekend, the Hoyas will pick up Big East play again. They begin a three-game set in Philadelphia with the Villanova Wildcats (8-22, 1-2 Big East) on Friday. First pitch on Friday is set for 3:00 p.m. ET. For continuing coverage of all Georgetown sports, follow @GUVoiceSports on Twitter.
