Dan Gelfand/The Hoya Junior catcher Andrew Cleary scored one run in the Hoyas’ 5-2 loss on Saturday.

After having played its last seven games on the road, the Georgetown baseball team may be just about ready to trade in its spikes for some ruby slippers.

The Hoyas ended a four-game losing streak with a win against Connecticut at J.O. Christian Field in Storrs on Sunday after having dropped the first two games of the series. Georgetown (18-16, 4-5 Big East) has managed a 2-5 record on its “road trip” and is just 3-13 as the visiting team this season.

Freshman pitcher Erick Chandler found himself in a familiar position as he took the mound on Sunday. After the Hoyas dropped both games of Saturday’s doubleheader, Chandler was charged with halting his team’s losing skid. He responded by pitching seven shutout innings, allowing just two hits in Georgetown’s 5-0 win.

Chandler (4-2) has suddenly developed into the Hoyas’ stopper. He has been the starting pitcher three times following a Georgetown loss – his record in those games is 3-0.

“He’s pitching like a junior,” Head Coach Pete Wilk said. “This year’s staff should prevent us from having those long losing streaks.”

The Hoyas took an early lead on Sunday, as junior first baseman Jim Supple singled to score junior right fielder Andrew Cleary in the bottom of the second. Supple came through again in the sixth inning, lacing an RBI single that brought home senior left fielder Ron Cano and gave the Hoyas a 2-0 lead.

After scoring on an error in the eighth inning, Cano drove in a pair of runs himself in the ninth. With the bases loaded, Cano doubled home junior second baseman Parker Brooks and junior designated hitter Billy Quinn to cap the Hoyas’ scoring.

Cano went 4-for-5 on the day, with a pair of runs scored and two RBIs. With several key hitters in the lineup struggling, Cano has provided an offensive spark for the Hoyas.

“He’s getting back to where he was his freshman and sophomore year, when he was a great offensive player,” Wilk said. “He’s been great all around this year.”

The output was more than enough support for Chandler, who saw his earned run average drop to 2.43 and took over the team lead with four wins.

“I’ve gotten lucky,” Chandler said. “I’ve had some strong defense and consistent offense behind me in each of my outings. It’s more been the success of the other eight players on the field than me when I’m pitching. They show up and take care of business, I just happen to be the guy on the mound when it happens.”

Junior Thomas Braun pitched two scoreless innings to pick up his fifth save of the year, tying him for the conference lead.

“They both pitched great,” Wilk said. “We needed to come back with a `W’ today. I don’t think I can put into words how important that was.”

The win was all the more important in the wake of the Huskies’ sweep in Saturday’s doubleheader. Connecticut (12-10, 2-4 Big East) won the seven-inning opener, 5-2, and took the nightcap, 11-3.

Rain delayed the first pitch by two hours but the Huskies quickly found a groove, scoring three runs in the bottom of the first off junior Eddie Pena.

Georgetown moved within one in the fourth inning. Cano hit a two-run triple that scored Cleary and senior catcher Mike Lombardi. Yet the Hoyas managed little else against Connecticut’s Jeff Hourigan, who allowed just five hits and two unearned runs in a complete game.

Connecticut bounced back to extend its lead with two runs in the fifth inning. Pena (3-2) pitched a complete-game loss, allowing five runs (three earned) in six innings.

The Huskies again took an early lead in the second game. Connecticut pushed four runs across the plate in the bottom of the second inning and added three runs in the fifth to blow the game open, 7-0.

Sophomore Stephen Burns struggled on the mound for the Hoyas, but lasted 7.2 innings. Burns (1-5) gave up nine runs, seven earned, on nine hits.

Lombardi put Georgetown on the board in the sixth inning, blasting a two-run home run to right field. Lombardi also caught all three games in the series.

The Hoyas added a run in the seventh inning to cut the lead to 7-3. Sophomore center fielder Timmy Jones singled through the right side, and came around to score after two Husky errors.

But Connecticut put together another big inning to nail down the win. The Huskies scored four runs in the eighth to move ahead, 11-3.

Junior center fielder Russ D’Argento starred for the Huskies in the doubleheader. D’Argento hit 4-of-9 in the two games, scoring three runs while driving in two. He also made his presence known in the field.

“He took runs away from us all weekend,” Wilk said. “He ran down four balls that would’ve been out of Povich Field and that changed the course of the game.”

The Hoyas entered the series after having dropped a 10-7 decision at UMBC last Wednesday. Georgetown’s offense finally came around in that game, sparked by sophomore third baseman Danny Gronski’s fourth home run and Brooks’ two-RBI day. But the Hoyas’ struggled on the mound, as five pitchers combined to allow 14 hits and five walks against the Retrievers.

Georgetown returns to Baltimore tomorrow to take on Coppin State at 3 p.m., one last away game before returning home to face Virginia Tech in a doubleheader on Thursday. The first pitch is scheduled for noon.