Georgetown baseball (1-2, BIG EAST) took just one game of their three-game series against the Presbyterian College Blue Hose (2-1, Big South). The Hoyas opened the season on the road in South Carolina against last year’s Big South regular season champions. On Friday, Feb. 14, the Hoyas lost two closely fought games, but they came back on Saturday to prevent a series sweep with a decisive victory.
Game 1: Feb. 14
In the first matchup of Georgetown’s Valentine’s Day double-header, the Hoyas fell 7-6 to the Blue Hose in a close contest. Presbyterian got on the board first in the bottom of the third, but the Hoyas responded—junior infielder Jeremy Sheffield drove in a run, then scored off a single from outfielder Keith Savoy Jr., putting the Hoyas up 2-1. The teams went back and forth, eventually settling on a 6-6 tie heading into the ninth inning. In the top of the ninth, Georgetown loaded the bases but left all three runners stranded on base. Presbyterian took advantage of Georgetown’s missed opportunity, winning the game on a walk-off walk. Graduate pitcher Jake Anderson walked two Presbyterian players to load the bases, then walked his third batter of the inning to give the Blue Hose a 7-6 victory.
Game 2: Feb. 14
The Hoyas rematched the Blue Hose later that day in their second game of the doubleheader, again falling 5-6 to Presbyterian. The first two innings were scoreless, but Georgetown took the lead in the top of the third with freshman Dylan Larkins scoring off of senior catcher Owen Carapellotti’s single. Presbyterian responded in the third with two runs, taking the score to 2-1. Presbyterian hit three home runs in the fourth, building a large 5-1 lead over Georgetown that stretched to 6-1 by the start of the seventh. Georgetown rallied in the seventh, however, with runs from sophomore infielders Tristan Head and Blake Schaaf, Larkins, and sophomore outfielder Ashtin Gilio. Unfortunately, the push was not quite enough as a scoreless final two innings led the Blue Hose to win 6-5.
Game 3: Feb. 15
The Hoyas pulled out a decisive 5-1 win in the series’ final game against the Blue Hose, avoiding a sweep. Presbyterian took an early lead in the second inning, but Georgetown responded in the fourth with a home run from Head, a transfer from Virginia. Head’s two-run shot scored Sheffield, who was on first. Presbyterian made some defensive errors in the seventh, allowing Georgetown to take advantage and build the lead to 4-1. A final run from Sheffield provided by Larkins’ sacrifice fly in the ninth secured a 5-1 Georgetown victory, their first of the season.
Overall, Georgetown did not play to their full potential to start the season, although they fought hard throughout the series. Perhaps the biggest positive from the weekend was the outstanding play of Larkins, who earned BIG EAST Honor Roll for his series performance. In his first three collegiate games, the outfielder had a .571 batting average, four RBIs, two stolen bases, and four walks. Larkins’ performance encourages confidence that he can be a star player for the Hoyas this seasonHowever, the Hoyas will wish that they had seized their opportunities in the Valentine’s Day doubleheader. Especially with a tough series against Florida State scheduled for late February, this series would have been a good chance to get above .500. Both games were winnable, but Georgetown didn’t quite put it together in key moments. Each team made critical defensive errors, but it was Presbyterian that was able to convert those mistakes into runs, which pushed them ahead of the Hoyas. It will be limiting mistakes in close games that will be important for Georgetown in future matchups this season.
The Hoyas make their home debut this weekend, hosting Sacred Heart (0-3, MAAC) at Capital One Park from Friday, Feb. 21 to Sunday, Feb. 23. The second series of the season, which follows a single midweek game against George Mason, will give Georgetown a chance to show their abilities in front of a home crowd. For continued coverage and updates on Georgetown sports, follow @GUVoiceSports on Twitter.
