When the offense gets hot, there isn’t much that can prevent the runs from scoring. The Hoyas enjoyed the winning end of a 20-5 game on Sunday, giving Georgetown (12-7) a 2-1 series win over Saint Peter’s (1-9) this weekend.
Georgetown started Sunday’s game with a bang, reeling off a five-run rally as all nine Hoyas appeared at the plate, with four players tallying base hits. A wild pitch from Peacock freshman starter Kevin Kallert and an error by freshman shortstop Dennis Alexander didn’t help Saint Peter’s cause.
The Peacocks put up two runs in the top of the second, but the Hoyas answered back with two runs of their own, putting the score at 7-2. A passed ball from junior catcher Mike Scordato allowed Georgetown junior designated hitter Ryan Craft to score his second of five runs on the game. With one out left, Kallert was lifted from the game after giving up six earned runs, six hits and three walks in 1.2 innings of work. Kallert (0-1) ended up taking the loss.
The third inning saw the Hoyas string together another five runs, with four more coming after a leadoff out in the fourth frame. Saint Peter’s committed three more errors in the bottom of the fourth, and Georgetown kept taking the advantage to make the score 16-3.
With four more runs on three hits and an error, the Hoyas extended their lead to 20-4 in the seventh inning. Saint Peter’s added one more run in the top of the eighth, making the final score 20-5.
“We came out flat for that last game,” Saint Peter’s Head Coach Derek England said.
Multiple Hoyas made offensive contributions. Junior shortstop att Johnson went 3-for-5 on the game with three runs and two RBIs. Senior first baseman Jim Supple drove in three runs on 2-for-3 hitting while senior left fielder Andrew Cleary, who also went 2-for-3, drove in four runs and scored one of his own.
Georgetown Head Coach Pete Wilk said that he was pleased with Sunday’s big win after the Hoyas lost 4-3 in the second game on Saturday.
“We were all pretty upset by the way Saturday turned out,” he said. “They came with a focus and a goal.”
Saint Peter’s earned its first win of the season in Saturday’s second game in the 4-3 victory to snap its eight-game losing streak.
“I think getting that first win was getting the monkey off the back,” England said.
The Peacocks had no shortage of offense, racking up 15 hits to the Hoyas’ six, although they only scored four runs.
Saint Peter’s freshman reliever Chris Innis was the real spotlight of the game as he held Georgetown scoreless for three innings while striking out four and only walking one.
“Their pitcher was pretty good,” Wilk said. “You have to give him a lot of credit.”
On the other hand, Georgetown went through six pitchers, five of whom recorded three outs or less.
The defenses of both teams were errorless during game two. Georgetown’s defense allowed just three errors on the weekend.
“We’ve got a very skilled defensive team out there,” Wilk said. “That’s the absolute strength of our team.”
In the first game of the Saturday doubleheader, the Hoyas defeated the Peacocks 11-5.
Georgetown’s pitching had a lopsided effort in game one. Freshman starter Mike Gaggioli struck out eight while surrendering just one run and one walk in six innings, but in the last inning senior reliever Tyler Abbott gave up four hits and four runs over the span of three outs.
Wilk said that the depth of the pitching staff is his biggest concern going into the Big East schedule, which begins this weekend. Junior Warren Sizemore will be unavailable with a sore arm, placing a bigger burden on the pitchers.
“Other than William & Mary and Central Michigan, we haven’t faced an offensive team like what we’ll face in the conference yet,” Wilk said.
Georgetown will play host to Mt. St. Mary’s on Tuesday at 3 p.m. before hitting the road for its first Big East games. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish await the Hoyas on Thursday before Georgetown plays West Virginia on Saturday.
