After taking two of three from Big East rival Villanova (9-24, 2-4 Big East) last weekend, the Georgetown Hoyas baseball team (11-26, 2-4 Big East) stumbled on Tuesday in Annapolis, MD, suffering a 17-3 rout to Navy (28-12, 13-4 Patriot League). The defense was particularly messy for both squads, as Georgetown and Navy committed seven and four errors, respectively. In the loss, sophomore third baseman Eddie McCabe and junior first baseman Freddy Achecar III each tallied two hits, while freshman left-hander Jack Weeks pitched two scoreless relief innings. For the hosts, freshman left-hander Wilson Ayers earned the victory, going six innings and striking out seven, and junior left fielder Evan Lowery drove in four runs.
In the top of the first inning, Georgetown claimed an early 1-0 lead as McCabe drove home sophomore left fielder Kai Nelson with a single up the middle. Before long, however, the small lead was erased. After a very successful last start against Coppin State, Georgetown freshman right-hander Anthony Redfern got no help from his defense on Tuesday. After retiring the first two Midshipmen, Redfern gave up a double and a walk. He looked to be out of the inning after inducing a fly ball to left field off the bat of senior right fielder Liam Lowery, but Nelson dropped the ball and McCabe made a throwing error on the relay, allowing Lowery and the two baserunners to score. From then on, it was all downhill for the Blue & Gray.
After the Hoyas went down in order in the top of the second, the Midshipmen didn’t let up offensively. This time, Redfern caused the trouble on his own by hitting the Midshipmen leadoff man and walking the next batter. Following a sacrifice bunt, Evan Lowery punched a two-run single through the right side, giving Navy a 5-1 lead.
In the bottom of the third, the wheels really came off for Georgetown. Redfern hit a batter, gave up two hits, and threw two wild pitches before he was removed without getting an out, while the defense committed an unforgivable four errors in the inning. By the time freshman right-hander Miller Freeman recorded the third out, it was 12-1 Midshipmen. Redfern only made it two innings and gave up 12 runs, but only three of those runs were earned. Though Redfern also gave up only four hits total, he struggled with his command, issuing two walks, plunking two batters, and throwing two wild pitches.
Freeman would go on to pitch the fourth and fifth innings, allowing three earned runs. Following Freeman was Weeks, who did not allow a hit and struck out two in his two innings of work. Finally, freshman right-hander Chase Walter pitched the eighth, giving up the 16th and 17th Navy runs.
Georgetown got a run in the fifth on a sacrifice fly from junior left fielder AJ Lotsis and in the ninth, when Navy sophomore third baseman dropped a pop up, allowing sophomore shortstop Yareb Martinez to score.
The Hoyas will need to put this game in the rearview mirror as they prepare for a weekend series against Rider (13-22, 4-8 MAAC) at Shirley Povich Field. The Broncs dropped two of three last weekend to Iona and play Princeton on Wednesday before visiting the Hoyas. First pitch for Friday’s series opener is set for 6:00 p.m. ET. For continuing coverage of all Georgetown sports, follow @GUVoiceSports on Twitter.
