GU Vexed by Virginia Tech, Swept by Rival Hokies

Ruthie Braunstein/The Hoya Freshman Kevin Field allowed eight earned runs in seven innings of work against the Hokies.

It was a dark weekend for the Hoyas.

With the Blacksburg, Va., name casting an ominous cloud over Georgetown, the Hoyas’ baseball team lost both ends of Saturday’s doubleheader to Virginia Tech, 14-5 and 10-6, and also fell in Sunday’s series closer 7-3.

The three losses marked the third weekend series in which a Big East opponent has swept Georgetown this year. The Hoyas (14-36, 6-18 Big East) dropped three to Rutgers March 31 and April 1 and three to Seton Hall one week later.

But the improved quality of Georgetown’s play during this recent sweep makes it easier for the Hoyas to tolerate than the previous six drubbings, especially those against Seton Hall.

“Seton Hall is one I want to forget about,” Georgetown Head Coach Peter Wilk said. “That was ugly. This one [against the Hokies] we played decently, we just got beat.”

Against Seton Hall, Georgetown was outscored 36-9 and failed in every facet of the game, making their opponents’ task easier in each game with poor pitch selection, poor defense and poor pitching. Versus the Hokies, Georgetown simply faced a more talented team.

“They were a pretty [darn] good club,” Wilk said. “We got beat, we didn’t beat ourselves.”

The Hokies smashed eight home runs on Saturday and threw a left-handed starter in the second game that shut down the Georgetown offense.

Junior Virginia Tech first baseman John West crushed two homers and red-shirt junior right fielder Chris Hutchinson hit three more, while sophomore Joe Saunders pitched a complete game to lead the balanced Hokie attack. West and Hutchinson combined for 12 RBI in the two games.

Although Georgetown managed 11 hits off the Hokie fireballer, Saunders turned up the heat when the Hoyas threatened to score more than the six runs, only three of them earned, that he allowed.

“When he had to, he just stepped it up,” Wilk said. “When he had to snuff out a rally, he sure did.”

Another crucial factor for the success of Saunders and the other Hokies’ starters was their ability to stifle Georgetown’s offensive instigator, sophomore lead-off hitter Jason Boice.

Boice, who leads the team in hits (45) and runs scored (42), has provided much of the offensive fuel for Georgetown. Boice had only one hit against Tech and scored just one run, both coming in Saturday’s second game.

“They did a wonderful job against him,” Wilk said. “Without our sparkplug, we didn’t put that many runs on the board.”

Senior right fielder Marc Carlini continued his torrid hitting and went seven for 10 in three games to pick up the slack.

“[Carlini] has really had an up-and-down career [due to] a couple injuries to his shoulder and jaw,” Wilk said. Carlini has struggled with shoulder and jaw injuries. “When he’s healthy, it’s fun to watch him play. It’s good to see a senior go out this way.”

Carlini had the game-winning single against Catholic last Wednesday and batted .500 (9-18) over five games last week. He leads the Hoyas with a .338 batting average and is second in runs scored with 28.

Senior Matt Arizin struggled during Saturday’s first game, while freshman Kevin Field gave up eight runs on 11 hits in eight innings during the nightcap. Both pitchers took the losses.

On Sunday, junior left-hander Eric Sutton threw seven innings for the Hoyas and gave his team a healthier chance to win than they had the previous day.

Sutton allowed five runs, four earned, on eight hits and struck out four while walking five.

Sutton had a rough first inning in which he walked three and hit a batter, two of which scored. But after that, he settled down and kept the game close.

“If you throw that one inning out, he pitched a great game after that,” Wilk said. “Obviously you can’t do that, but he pitched extremely well.”

The Hokies jumped out to a 3-0 lead after two innings, but the Hoyas scored two in the bottom of the fifth on RBI doubles by freshman catcher Michael Lombardi and senior shortstop Jay Catalano to cut the lead to one.

Unfortunately for the Hoyas, Tech’s offense was too tough, scoring a pair apiece in the seventh and eighth.

“I was upset and I think [the players] were upset that we didn’t win Sunday’s game,” Wilk said.

Tech senior starting left-hander Ian Ostlund threw 7 1/3 dominant innings for the win.

Georgetown will face Mount St. Mary’s tonight at 7 p.m. at Shirley Povich Field.