This week has been a mixed bag for the red-hot Hoyas. After enduring a 4-3 loss at Villanova on Tuesday, the team rebounded the next day for a 4-2 win against James Madison University.
Despite the conference loss against the Wildcats, Georgetown (14-26, 6-11 Big East) remains in the hunt for a Big East tournament bid. The Hoyas are on somewhat of a hot streak, having won four of their last five and seven of their last 10. Their consistent play has earned high praise from Head Coach Pat Conlan, who believes the team is playing their best ball of the year.
“The team is finally playing like I believed they were capable of,” Conlan said. “We are playing with more confidence and focus and have finally begun to put a complete game together.”
For Georgetown’s recent success to continue, however, the fourth-year head coach knows the team’s few remaining games leave little room for error.
“Consistency is the key for the rest of the season,” Conlan said. “We have proved that we can play well. The hard part will be doing it day in and day out. It is all about consistency.”
That consistency was exemplified in the Hoyas’ victory over James Madison on Wednesday. Freshman pitcher Mackensey Carter allowed two runs over five innings to earn her third career win. Carter was backed up by stellar defensive play, as the Hoyas did not commit a single error in the game.
Carter got things going in the top of the second inning with a solo home run, helping her own cause and giving the Blue and Gray a 1-0 lead. Both teams remained deadlocked until an eventful sixth inning. With runners on first and third, junior shortstop Samantha Peters lined an RBI double down the right field line, extending the Hoya advantage to 2-0. A James Madison fielding error then allowed Carter to reach base and cost the Dukes two more runs.
The James Madison offense answered right back in the bottom half of the sixth. After two batters reached base, junior right fielder Courtney Simons tripled to cut the Hoyas’ lead in half. At that point, Carter was replaced on the hill by junior Jennifer Connell, who was able to end the threat. Connell stayed on for the bottom of the seventh and struck out two batters to secure a Georgetown win.
Though it may have been nice to tally an out-of-conference win, the Hoyas will face perhaps their toughest test of the year tomorrow when they travel to face No. 17 Louisville in a doubleheader. The Cardinals currently stand at 41-7 overall and 16-4 in Big East play. For the Hoyas to emerge victorious in either game, they must continue to execute consistently in all facets of the game – something Conlan has stressed all season.
“Louisville has been ranked in the top 20 all year,” Conlan said. “They have had a terrific season to date. They have a combination of great hitting, both in the power and short games, excellent pitching and tough defense. They are proven winners. The team is excited to play them. We seem to play well against the better teams.”
Because this is the Hoyas’ first year as a member of the Big East, a win or two against Louisville would make for a tremendous statement to the rest of the league.
“As far as conference recognition, a win this weekend would be huge,” Conlan said.
After the trip to Louisville tomorrow, the Blue and Gray will travel to Towson University on Tuesday to face the Tigers. The Hoyas’ next home game is May 2 against St. John’s University.
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