Due to a unique twist in its schedule, the Georgetown baseball team (17-9, 3-3 Big East) will find itself in California this weekend. However, the Blue and Gray will hardly be enjoying the sun in Hollywood or Laguna Beach like some of the school’s spring breakers, instead facing St. Mary’s (9-20, 2-4 West Coast Conference) in a three-game series in the Bay Area.

Such strange scheduling — inserting a series between teams thousands of miles apart in the heart of conference season — occurred, Head Coach Pete Wilk said, due to West Virginia’s defection from the Big East to the Big 12 prior to the season.

“Originally, we were scheduled to play West Virginia … and after they left, we struggled to find a new team to play. We didn’t have a choice because it happened too late in the process,” Wilk said. “We tried to get [St. Mary’s] to come out here, but they couldn’t. It was either [travelling to California] or we were just playing intra-squad, and that would have ruined us.”

While the situation is far from ideal, Georgetown will surely like its chances against St. Mary’s (9-20, 2-4 West Coast Conference), especially after the Hoyas’ series win against South Florida last weekend.

The Blue and Gray took two of three — including a 1-0 pitchers’ duel that lasted 13 innings — from the Bulls to reach .500 in the Big East.

“We played damn well last weekend. I was happy with how we played,” Wilk said. “Over 27 innings plus five extra innings, you’re going to find things you need to improve on, but if you look at the overall picture, I was pleased with the overall effort.”

According to Wilk, one area on which Georgetown has worked extensively during a full week of practice has been hitting against left-handed pitchers. Success with that aspect of the game is likely to prove essential this weekend, as the Gaels are slated to throw out their three-headed monster of left-handed starting pitchers: juniors Ben Griset (1.76 ERA), Ryan Brockett (3.27) and Jordan Mills (3.49).

“We’re going to face three left-handed pitchers in California, and I wasn’t pleased with the way we dealt with South Florida’s left-hander, so that has been part of the focus,” Wilk said. “The approach against lefties is different.”

If Georgetown can somehow manage to get St. Mary’s starting pitchers out of the game early, it could find much greater success against its opponents’ bullpen. Apart from their three excellent starters, the Gaels have relatively weak pitching and have accrued a measly staff ERA of 4.76 this season.

Georgetown will also have to focus on its defensive execution this weekend due to a St. Mary’s style that’s seldom seen in the Big East, where offensive play tends to be more direct.

“They play a little bit more hit-and-run and small-ball, which will be good to see if we can defend against that,” Wilk said. “Their record’s not great, but they’re still a West Coast team, and we’re playing on the road, so we’re not just going to be able to get off the plane and win.”

As for the difficulties that come with cross-country travel and time zone shifts?

“It’s not like they’re 35-year-old men,” Wilk said. “They’ll get through it.”

The Hoyas and Gaels will square off in Moraga, Cal., at noon EDT today and 10 a.m. EDT on both Saturday and Sunday.