For the second time in as many weeks, the Georgetown softball team headed down to the Carolinas for a weekend tournament, and for the second time, the Hoyas returned to the Hilltop without a victory. In what is fast becoming a recurring trend, the offense struggled to produce runs as the Blue and Gray (1-10, 0-0 Big East) dropped all three games they played in an abridged USC Upstate Tournament.
The competition opened with a matchup with Presbyterian (6-6, 0-0 Big South) on Saturday that for the first three innings was a pitchers’ duel, as sophomore Megan Hyson held the Blue Hose hitless and allowed a mere two base runners. Unfortunately for Georgetown, nothing was clicking on the offensive end; Hyson, the lone base runner for the Hoyas in the first three innings, managed to work her way to second base via a walk and a sacrifice bunt in the second inning, but she was then stranded when freshmen Grace Appelbe and Taylor Henry failed to drive her in.
Presbyterian finally struck first in the top of the fourth when Hyson surrendered a two-out two-run homer. It was ultimately all that the Blue Hose could manage on the day, but it proved to be enough.
Georgetown managed to load the bases in the fifth, and junior second baseman Hannah Slovacekproduced the Hoyas’ lone hit of the game in the sixth, but the Blue and Gray could not get a run across in either inning and fell 2-0.
On Saturday night, Georgetown returned to the field to take on No. 20 Kentucky (11-3, 0-0 SEC). In contrast to the afternoon’s contest, the Wildcats jumped on the Hoyas early when Griffin Joinerhomered off of sophomore pitcher Lauren O’Leary with one out in the bottom of the first. The Blue and Gray improved only slightly on their horrid offensive outing earlier, managing two hits on the night, a double by junior right fielder Alexandria Anttila in the fifth and a single by junior center fielder Elyse Graziano in the sixth. It would not be nearly enough to match the firepower of Kentucky, however, who scored four runs in the fourth and three in the sixth off of O’Leary. All told, the California native struck out seven for Georgetown, but her six earned runs paved the way for the 8-0 loss.
The Blue and Gray were back at it Sunday morning, facing off against tournament host South Carolina Upstate (10-1, 0-0 Atlantic Sun). Once again, the Hoyas fell into a 1-0 hole on a first inning home run, and, once again, the offense failed to dig them out. Georgetown had two quality chances to equalize in the second and the third innings, but Graziano flied out to center with runners on first and third to end the second, while freshman shortstop Samantha Giovanniello was stranded on second after a leadoff double in the third.
Hyson and O’Leary combined for six innings pitched, 10 hits and seven earned runs allowed in the 8-1 loss for the Hoyas. The lone run of the weekend for Georgetown came when senior catcherShikara Lowe led off the top of the sixth with a single. Freshman C.J. Semones then pinch-ran for Lowe and advanced to third on a double by Hyson, subsequently scoring when Anttila flied out to center.
Overall, it was a disappointing weekend for the Hoyas, who watched their losing streak extend to five games. Offense continued to be the biggest problem, as the Blue and Gray hardly managed more base runners (18) than runs allowed (17) on the weekend.
Next up for a sliding Georgetown are three games at the Citrus Classic in Kissimmee, Fla., from March 1-3.
