Senior shortstop Ryan Busch went 4-for-4 with two home runs in Georgetown’s series finale against Stony Brook. The Hoyas won Sunday’s game 10-1, though they fell in both games of the doubleheader on Saturday.
Aided by perseverance and the ability to bounce back from disappointment, Georgetown’s baseball team (17-17, 3-3 Big East) took the last of three contests against non-conference competitor Stony Brook (19-12, 9-2 America East) in a blowout win with a final score of 10-1. Georgetown notched 13 hits Sunday after putting up just nine hits in the doubleheader the previous day.
Senior left-hander Matt Hollenbeck started on the mound in the first Saturday matchup between the two teams, going 5 1/3 innings and giving up just one run on five hits while striking out two. After pitching 19 innings of scoreless relief in his last ten outings, junior right-hander Tim Davis gave up three runs to take the loss.
“[Hollenbeck’s pitching] gives us a lot of confidence,” senior shortstop Ryan Busch said. “We know, in the lineup, that he’s going to come out and give us a quality start every weekend.”
The Hoyas struck first in the bottom of the first with a run on a single by senior first baseman AC Carter, but the Seawolves tied it up in the second with a two-out RBI single.
The bats were quiet for most of the game until Stony Brook put up three runs against Davis in the top of the ninth to take the lead. The score held up as Georgetown fell 4-1.
Game two of the doubleheader was just seven innings. Junior right-hander Matt Smith started on the mound for the Hoyas, providing five innings of three-run ball, two earned, on ten hits with four strikeouts.
Again, the Hoyas put up a run in the first inning, this time on an RBI groundout by Carter.
In the second, the Seawolves responded with two runs, one earned, taking a 2-1 lead. The Blue and Gray then tied it up when sophomore right fielder Joseph Bialkowski’s single scored Busch.
After a double, a single and a throwing error, Stony Brook retook the lead. The Hoyas put two men on base in the ninth but left the tying and winning runs stranded, losing to the Seawolves 3-2 to end play Saturday.
“I think you have to tip your hat to their pitching staff [Saturday],” Head Coach Pete Wilk said. “I think it was what they did. We faced some tough arms.”
After the tough losses Saturday, Georgetown’s offense came out strong Sunday, with each of its starters recording at least one hit. Busch had a hot bat, going 4-for-4 with a double, a triple and two home runs along with four RBI. Carter also hit a two-run home run and sophomore third baseman Jake Kuzbel had two hits and scored two runs.
“[Busch] gives a competitive at-bat at almost every at-bat, and that comes from experience,” Wilk said of Busch’s strong performance.
Senior first baseman AC Carter hit a two-run home run on Sunday.
In addition to the explosive offense, freshman right-hander Kevin Superko pitched a strong 4 and 2/3 innings, allowing only one unearned run on five hits. Senior right-hander Will Brown earned the win for the Hoyas, pitching 2 and 1/3 scoreless innings in relief.
The Seawolves scored an unearned run in the first on a groundout to give them their only run of the game.
In the same inning, Georgetown tied the score when junior catcher Nick Collins grounded into a double play after a successful hit-and-run. In the next inning, Busch’s two-run home run over the left field wall gave the Hoyas a 3-1 lead.
Busch’s lead off triple in the fourth got things going again for the Blue and Gray before he crossed the plate on Bialkowski’s double.
Already with a three-run cushion, Georgetown put up a five spot in the fifth to add insurance runs. The rally was highlighted by a two-run home run by Carter and doubles by Kuzbel, Busch and sophomore second baseman Charlie Dillon.
On a 0-2 count, Busch hit his second home run of the day in the seventh to extend the lead. The score held up as Georgetown defeated Stony Brook 10-1.
“We came to play and recognized the importance of today’s game,” Wilk said. “I liked our focus and intensity level.”
Sunday’s game was the fourth time this season that the pitching staff did not give up an earned run.
Despite losing the series two games to one, Georgetown dominated in the final game to gain the confidence needed for the busy week ahead.
“We wanted to come out today and get a [win] just so we can have some momentum coming into Big East again, and that’s exactly what we did,” Busch said.
Georgetown will host Coppin State Tuesday at 7 p.m. and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore Wednesday in a doubleheader beginning at 5 p.m.
