Hoyas Lose Two to GW, GU Loses Battle of Beltway

Hoya File Photo Senior lefty pitcher Jim Vankoski started the second game of Tuesday’s double header against George Washington University.

As the Georgetown baseball team prepared to battle Coppin State yesterday at Shirley Povich Field, the rain, wind and bitter cold rolled into the Washington, D.C. area, canceling the game and preventing the team’s attempt to rebound from a pair of double-header losses to cross-town rival George Washington on Tuesday.

“I really wanted to play today so we could to jump back into it before the big boys come into town,” said Georgetown Head Coach Peter Wilk. Rutgers, tied for second in the Big East with Seton Hall, comes to town this weekend for three games.

“I got too many things to clean up in our own house before we can look over the fence,” he said.

Against the Colonials, the Hoyas failed to build upon their two conference wins versus St. John’s and Boston College last weekend, losing 9-6 and 10-2.

Although the Hoyas did not take a step backward, they demonstrated that they must remain mentally and physically tough for the full 56-game schedule.

“I think we were tired from the four-game weekend,” Wilk said. “It’s the first time I’ve seen it [this season]. We need to get beyond that, it’s the sign of a young team.”

In the first game of the twin bill, Georgetown pitchers struggled to find the plate, walking eight and allowing nine runs, seven earned in the seven-inning contest. Sophomore starter Patrick Salvitti, who lasted 4.1 innings, walked four while striking out only one. While freshman reliever Kevin Galvin and junior right-hander Paul Perillo each walked two, struck out one and allowed two earned runs. Galvin lasted only a third of an inning, while Perillo pitched the final 2.1.

“Any time you walk that many, your tempo’s off,” Wilk said. “It’s hard to play defense behind that.”

The Hoyas committed two errors in the game, one in the first inning by junior second baseman Mike Green and one in the seventh by senior third baseman Jay Catalano. Green’s error led to two unearned runs, as George Washington jumped out to a 2-0 lead.

In the bottom of the first, Georgetown scored two of its own on an RBI single by senior first baseman Eric Santana and a RBI fielder’s choice by sophomore designated hitter Robert O’Hare. Sophomore left fielder Jason Boice and Green had opened the inning with consecutive walks. After advancing on a sacrifice bunt by senior Jim Vankoski, Boice and Green scored on successive plays.

The Hoyas took the lead in the second when senior right fielder arc Carlini, who went two for three, doubled down the right field line, advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on a single by freshman shortstop Ron Cano.

“It was a really nice piece of hitting,” Wilk said of Cano’s hit.

Boice delivered a double to right center two batters later to push Cano home and give the Hoyas a two-run lead.

The Colonials scored one run in the third, but added five in the fifth for a four-run advantage that they would not relinquish. Georgetown refused to give up by scoring two in the last of the seventh on RBI singles by Vankoski and Santana.

Throughout the afternoon, the playing conditions in Bethesda steadily worsened. The temperature dropped to a low of 34 degrees, which presented the teams with a challenging second game.

The cold seemed to freeze the Hoyas’ bats, as they managed only five hits, while the weather had little effect on the Colonials, who bashed out 11.

“They just hit the ball well,” Wilk said.

George Washington took complete command of the game with an offensive uproar in the second inning. The Colonials battered around starter Vankoski, who was not helped by a throwing error by junior catcher Phil Pierorazio. Vankoski allowed six runs, three earned, in the inning. He lasted four innings, giving up eight runs, four earned, on eight hits.

One of the few bright spots for the Hoyas on the day was the relief pitching of freshman Tim Nunziata. He yielded three hits and two runs, both earned in three full innings.

“It was a positive step for Tim,” Wilk said.

Another high point of the game was the offensive production of Cano, who hit a home run, only the third for Georgetown this season, in the second, and singled in the seventh. He has raised his average over 30 points during the last two weeks to .257.