Entering the 2014 season, there were not high expectations for the Georgetown baseball team. The Hoyas graduated 10 players and were chosen to finish fifth in the seven-team Big East in the coaches’ preseason poll.
Despite the unfavorable predictions, Georgetown (19-29, 5-13 Big East) entered its final weekend with the opportunity to make its first Big East tournament appearance since 1986.
In its Big East regular season finale, Georgetown faced off against Butler (18-29, 5-10 Big East) in a three-game series in Indianapolis. The Hoyas won the first two games of the series, but the Bulldogs managed to snag the final game.
In the first game, the Hoyas belted out 14 hits en route to a 5-2 victory. Senior first baseman Steve Anderson led the Hoyas, collecting four hits in his first four at-bats. The Hoyas jumped out to an early lead in the top of the first inning and never looked back.
Butler tied the game in the bottom of the second after a sacrifice fly plated sophomore right fielder Bartalone, who tripled earlier in the inning.
Georgetown would once again take the lead in the top of the fourth. After an Anderson double, sophomore shortstop Curtiss Pomeroy drove him in with a single up the middle, to give the Hoyas a 2-1 lead. Georgetown went on to add three insurance runs in the middle innings, gaining a 5-1 lead, and cruised to the 5-2 win.
The Hoyas’ offensive firepower continued in the second game of the series as they dominated the Bulldogs in an 8-3 decision. Like the first game, Georgetown jumped out to a first inning lead, scoring runs on a double by Anderson and a sacrifice fly by junior designated hitter A.C. Carter.
The Hoyas big inning came in the third. After a single, a walk and a hit batter loaded the bases for Georgetown, Carter hit a grand slam to left field, giving Georgetown the commanding 6-0 lead.
Meanwhile, junior pitcher Matt Hollenbeck dominated Butler hitters. Hollenbeck went seven innings, giving up two runs on six hits while striking out eight, and earned the win.
Unlike the first two games, Georgetown’s pitching did not fare well in the series finale, as the Hoyas fell 7-6. Butler jumped out to an early lead in the first inning on a three-run home run.
The Bulldogs scored once more before the Hoyas exploded for five runs in the top of the third to take the 5-4 lead. With the game tied at 7-7 and a runner at third in the bottom of the eighth, Butler senior shortstop Marco Caponi singled to center and the Bulldogs went ahead 8-7, which would be the final score.
With the loss and wins by other teams in the conference, the Hoyas were eliminated from the Big East tournament.
Having been eliminated, Georgetown played its last game of the season Tuesday when it faced off against University of Maryland-Baltimore County (16-27, 6-15 America East Conference). The Retrievers handed the Hoyas an 8-5 loss at Alumni Field.
Freshman pitcher Chris Giordano got the start and struggled in the bottom of the first. Giordano allowed a leadoff single and walked two batters to load the bases. After a hit batter plated a run, a UMBC single followed by a Georgetown error gave UMBC the 3-0 lead.
The game remained 3-0 until the fifth inning. In the top half of the frame, the Hoyas capitalized on two Retrievers’ errors to make the score 3-2. The one-run deficit would not hold. In the bottom of the fifth, the Retrievers scored four runs on one hit to make the score 7-2.
After the teams exchanged runs, Georgetown entered the top of the ninth trailing 8-3. The Hoyas managed to score two runs on three hits. But UMBC forced two groundball outs to end the game.
Anderson led Georgetown with two hits and two RBIs. Meanwhile, Giordano earned the loss, giving up three runs, two earned, on four hits and three walks in 2 2/3 innings.
Unfortunately, the predictions for Georgetown’s 2014 season proved to be accurate. The Hoyas finished sixth in the Big East with a 5-13 conference record and 19-29 overall record.
