Riding a three-game winning streak, the Georgetown University baseball team (26-9, 8-1 Big East) traveled to Indianapolis this past weekend to take on the Butler Bulldogs (13-21, 1-5 Big East), sweeping their way to an eighth consecutive series win.  

Opening the three-game series with a Saturday afternoon doubleheader, the Hoyas got off to a slow start in the first game. Georgetown went scoreless in the top half of the first inning and yielded 2 runs in the bottom half.  

Undeterred, the Hoyas came up to the plate in the second inning ready to take control. Two singles and a walk later, the bases were loaded with no outs. A single from senior shortstop Michael Eze drove in the Hoyas’ first run of the day, and Georgetown continued to rally, scoring 3 additional runs before the first out was recorded. By the end of the inning, Georgetown had tallied 6 runs on 5 hits. 

The Hoyas surrendered a triple and a run in the bottom of the second, but remained in control, up 6-3 after 2 innings.

The third inning was scoreless for both sides. Hoyas graduate righthander Cody Jensen took the mound in relief of first-year southpaw Marcello Mastroianni, proceeding to record 2 strikeouts.  

Each team scored a run in the fourth inning. However, as the game progressed, the Hoyas added to their lead, earning a run in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings. During this stretch, Georgetown held Butler scoreless as the Bulldogs struggled to keep pace.  

Despite holding a 10-4 lead heading into the eighth inning, the Hoyas were far from complacent. A walk, a single and a wild pitch put runners on the corners with one out for Eze. The shortstop smashed a triple to right center field, scoring both men on base. Eze then scored on a groundout by senior outfielder Jake Hyde to put the Hoyas ahead 13-4.  

Sophomore reliever Andrew Citron held the Bulldogs scoreless and hitless over the final two innings en route to a save and the win.  

Jensen was credited with the win, while junior catcher Owen Carapellotti and graduate second baseman Josh Rolling distinguished themselves at the plate with four RBIs and four hits, respectively.

The Hoyas had little time to celebrate the victory, however, immediately shifting their focus to the second leg of the doubleheader. 

Junior lefty Andrew Williams got the start for the Hoyas, and the two teams went scoreless in the first inning. Georgetown ceded a run to Butler in the bottom of the second inning, and the Bulldogs held a 1-0 lead over the Hoyas through the fourth inning. Still scoreless, Georgetown surrendered 2 additional runs in the fifth inning, as Butler led 3-0.  

Beginning in the sixth inning, the Hoyas mounted a comeback. A Hyde walk with the bases loaded plated Georgetown’s first run of the game, and a wild pitch in the next at-bat brought another first-year infielder Ashtin Gilio home.  

After holding Butler scoreless in the bottom half of the sixth, Georgetown scored 2 runs in the top of the seventh to take the lead, 4-3.

Georgetown held a one-run advantage going into the top of the ninth, but ended the half-inning with a six-run lead. With the bases loaded, Hyde singled to drive home a run. Hyde’s single was followed by a pair of 2-RBI base hits by Rolling and Carapellotti.

Butler attempted to rally in the bottom of the ninth, scoring 2 runs. However, their comeback was cut short, and the Bulldogs ultimately fell to the Hoyas again, this time by a final score of 9-5. 

Georgetown sophomore reliever Cody Bowker was credited with the win for the Hoyas. On the offensive side, graduate outfielder Kavi Caster recorded two doubles in the victory.

Looking to maintain the previous afternoon’s momentum, the Hoyas took on the Bulldogs one final time at noon on Sunday, April 14.

Picking up right where they left off, the Hoya offense was explosive, driving in 9 runs in the first inning. 

The scoring started when Carapellotti singled to right center with the bases loaded. A combination of walks and singles sustained the offense and kept the runs coming. Up 6 runs, Eze stole second, setting up a Hyde 2-RBI single to make the score 8-0. A double by Rolling later scored Hyde. All in all, the Hoyas managed 9 hits and 9 runs in just the first half of the first inning.  

Dominating on defense as well, senior southpaw Everett Catlett got the start, striking out 8 batters and allowing no earned runs across six innings.  

The Hoyas periodically added to their already immense run count throughout the game, leading the Bulldogs 14-0 by the fifth inning. Butler scored twice in the bottom half of the fifth, but that was all they could muster.

Leading Butler 15-2 after seven innings, Georgetown earned an early victory due to the seven-inning run rule, which cuts games short when a team has a ten-run lead after seven innings.  

In the dominating sweep of Butler, Georgetown grabbed its first Big East road sweep in over two decades. 

Hoyas Head Coach Edwin Thompson said he was happy with the sweep in what has already been a successful season.

“We did a great job all weekend long just finding ways to win,” Thompson told Georgetown Athletics. “I am really proud of our guys, eight consecutive series wins and sixth weekend sweep of the year is great, and I am proud of our organization.”

The Hoyas will look to extend their six-game win streak, as they take on the UMBC Retrievers (14-15, 6-3 AEC) in a non-conference match in Baltimore on Tuesday evening before a three-game weekend series against conference rival the UConn Huskies (16-17, 4-2 Big East).