Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

SOFTBALL | GU Falls 2-7 After Losing 4 of 5 at 2019 Boyd Gambling Rebel Classic

This past weekend, the Georgetown women’s softball team played five games in the Boyd Gambling Rebel Classic, with doubleheaders on Friday and Saturday. The Hoyas (2-7) finished last in the tournament with an overall record of 1-4, losing two games by two runs or fewer and pulling out a narrow one-run win against the Utah Valley Wolverines (3-7).

Beginning Friday, Feb. 15, the Boyd Gambling Rebel Classic hosted 11 teams from across the country in Las Vegas for a three-day tournament. Georgetown first faced Seattle University (6-4) on Friday at Stephanie Lynn Park. The Hoyas fell to the Redhawks by a score of 3-13 after conceding multiple runs early in the game. Junior pitcher Katie Vannicola started on the mound for the Blue and Gray, earning the loss. Vannicola pitched for 2 1⁄3 innings, allowing six hits, four home runs and eight runs, four of which were earned.

In the top of the first, the Redhawks recorded a single, a stolen base and a walk-off of Vannicola to begin the inning. Seattle then capitalized off of an error by sophomore shortstop Savannah Jones to score the first run of the game. Another error by Jones allowed a Seattle player to reach base, and a home run by senior second baseman Kaylee Ree drove in three more runs.

In the third, Vannicola gave up three more home runs, driving the score up to 8-0. Junior pitcher Casey Kozak relieved Vannicola to finish the inning. In two of three innings pitched, Kozak gave up five hits, five runs and two home runs. Sophomore pitcher London Diller closed out the game in the remaining two innings, allowing no runs, one hit, one walk and four strikeouts.

In the fourth, a powerful offensive showing by the Hoyas fueled hopes of a comeback. The inning began with three consecutive home runs by junior first baseman Noelle Holiday, senior designated hitter Sarah Bennett and senior center fielder Kelly Amen to put the Hoyas on the board. However, this offensive success was short-lived, as the Hoyas failed to record any more runs in the remaining innings, losing by mercy rule in the fifth.

Georgetown played a far more competitive second game against Brigham Young University (4-4), although still falling by a score of 3-1. Junior pitcher Anna Brooks Pacha started the game for the Hoyas, allowing one hit, one run, four walks and two strikeouts.

The game remained scoreless for the first two innings before the Cougars tallied a run in the bottom of the third off of an error by sophomore second baseman Nene Campos. Vannicola took over for Pacha in the bottom of the fourth, and her pitching helped Georgetown even the score to 1-1 in the sixth, as she held the Cougars scoreless in the bottom of the inning. However, in the seventh inning, the Cougars shut out the Hoyas and went on to hit a walk-off home run to win the game.

Georgetown traveled to Eller Media Stadium on Saturday morning for their game against Utah Valley University. Despite their Friday losses, the Hoyas found their footing against the Wolverines, earning a close victory by a score of 7-6.

The Hoya offense gave freshman pitcher Cassie Henning the lead to start off the game. In the top of the first, a home run by Holiday drove in freshman catcher Mae Forshey to record two runs. Bennett followed with a homer of her own to propel the Hoyas to an initial 3-0 lead.

In the bottom of the second, the Cougars tallied an unearned run off of a sacrifice fly. The Hoyas answered with a run of their own in the third as Amen singled to right to drive in Jones. However, Georgetown’s lead evaporated in the bottom of the third as three doubles and a single by the Utah Valley offense led to three more runs for the Cougars, leveling the game at four.

The Hoyas reclaimed the lead 7-4 in the top of the fourth. In the bottom of the seventh, the Cougars led an offensive comeback with a double and home run to trail by one. This offensive effort was ended by Diller, who relieved Vannicola and recorded the save, getting the final two outs on a groundout and pop out.

GUHOYAS| Senior center fielder Kelly Amen runs to try to get on-base at the Boyd Gambling Rebel Classic.

In the second game of their doubleheader, Georgetown fell to host University of Nevada, Las Vegas (9-1) by a score of 9-2. The Hoyas opened the game with a run scored by junior right fielder Alexa Dolby off of an RBI single by Holiday. UNLV challenged Georgetown with two runs of their own in the bottom of the inning off of Diller. Diller also conceded two more runs in the bottom of the second to leave the game at 1-5. Vannicola relieved Diller to record the last out of the second inning. Diller left the game after pitching 1 2⁄3 innings and tallying six hits, five runs, two walks and two strikeouts.

A single up the middle by Holiday drove in Jones in the top of the third to bring the score to 5-2 for the Hoyas. The Blue and Gray did not score in the following four innings, and Vannicola allowed four more runs off of a string of singles and doubles in the bottom of the fourth, as well as an inside-the-park three-run homer with two outs. Henning closed out the game, pitching two innings and holding the Rebels to zero hits and runs.

Georgetown closed out the tournament with an extra-innings 5-4 loss to UC Davis (6-2) on Sunday. Pacha took the mound to begin the game for the Hoyas, lasting 4 2⁄3 innings with eight hits, four earned runs, three walks and two strikeouts.

The Aggies claimed the lead in the first with a walk and a triple, but the Hoyas evened the score at one in the third off of a Forshey double that scored Jones. In the fifth inning, UC Davis recorded a three-run homer off of Pacha to reclaim the lead. Henning relieved Pacha, closing out the fifth inning and conceding one hit and one walk in the sixth.

Dolby led an offensive comeback for Georgetown in the bottom of the sixth by tripling with the bases loaded and two outs to score three. With the game tied at four, Diller took over on the mound in the seventh inning and held the Aggies scoreless, forcing extra innings.

The Aggies opened the eighth by scoring a run off of a sacrifice fly, sending the Hoyas into the bottom of the inning trailing by one. The Hoyas were unable to score in the bottom of the inning and lost despite Forshey’s team-high three hits on the day.

The Hoyas look to redeem their tournament play in the upcoming 12-team, three-day Madeira Beach Tournament in Madeira Beach, Florida this weekend. The team will first face off against Colgate University at 11 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 22.

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