After losing a weekend series to Villanova, Georgetown earned two big wins in non-conference games this week.
Coppin State (12-20, 6-1 MEAC) took a beating from Georgetown (17-14) on Tuesday as the Eagles fell 16-2 in a lopsided affair.
Over eight innings, the Hoyas built an 8-2 lead over the Eagles. The ninth inning saw that total doubled as Georgetown put together an eight-run rally.
Junior shortstop Matt Johnson led the Hoya offense, going 4-for-6 with four RBIs and three runs on the game. Sophomore left fielder Mark McLaughlin added three RBIs and two runs as he hit 3-for-6.
Only nine of Georgetown’s runs actually counted as earned runs since Coppin State’s defense committed seven errors.
Senior lefty Michael Halloran (4-1) took the win for Georgetown. The loss went to junior righty Bill Auch (3-3).
Georgetown then faced Mount St. Mary’s (8-13, 2-3 NEC) on Wednesday in its fifth game in four days. The Hoya bats exploded again as Georgetown scored six runs in the sixth inning, turning a 5-3 deficit into a 9-5 advantage thanks to McLaughlin’s two-out grand slam.
A home run kicked off the game for Georgetown, too, as leadoff hitter and senior second baseman Parker Brooks hit one out of the park.
Travis Danysh (2-2), a senior lefthander, earned the victory as sophomore righthander Bucky Kosyk (1-2) took the loss.
Senior righthanded closer Thomas Braun earned a save, tying the school record for career saves with 11. He has four so far this season.
The two non-conference wins came after a hard-fought three-game series against Villanova in which the Wildcats (16-7-1) took two wins.
Going into the series, Villanova’s 2.82 team ERA ranked at second in the conference while Georgetown’s 5.70 mark was second-to-last. Villanova also had a large edge in batting average against, allowing opposing batters to hit just .220 while Georgetown let opponents hit .293.
Stormy weather on Saturday forced the teams to delay the series for a day. The Sunday doubleheader opened with a 9-4 Villanova win, though the Hoyas outhit the Wildcats 10-8. All four of Georgetown’s runs came in the eighth.
Senior righthander Nick Allen (4-1) earned the win, and righty Stephen Burns (3-3) took the loss.
The Hoyas came back with a 4-0 shutout in the second game. Freshman lefthander Michael Gaggioli (3-1) struck out five over eight innings while allowing just two walks and three hits. The losing pitcher was sophomore righty Mike Loree (4-1).
Monday’s game matched up junior designated hitter Ryan Craft, last week’s Big East Player of the Week, with Villanova righthanded pitcher Kevin Mulvey, who was simultaneously Pitcher of the Week.
Craft currently leads the conference in hits with 39. He ranks in the top-three in four other offensive categories as well. His .680 slugging percentage and 70 total bases are second in the Big East while his seven home runs and 28 RBIs are third.
Mulvey, along with Allen, both pitched no-hitters this year for the Wildcats. The last no-hitter for the Wildcats came 43 years ago.
Georgetown took an early lead in the first inning as senior right fielder Billy Quinn drove in Brooks, and McLaughlin scored after he stole third base. The Hoyas put up another run in the sixth, but the Wildcats pieced together three runs over the game to send it into extra innings.
Both teams were unable to put a run on the scoreboard for four innings. Villanova finally broke the silence in the 13th inning as junior third baseman Angelo Petracca scored on freshman shortstop Derek Shunk’s single.
Although Mulvey (2-0) gave up nine hits in his seven innings, he struck out eight Hoyas. Junior righthander Ted Aust (3-2) took the win in relief. Senior righthanded pitcher Eddie Pena (1-3) started the game for the Hoyas, but Braun (1-1) took the loss in the decision.
The Hoyas now sit at seventh in the 10-team Big East. Georgetown resumes its conference schedule as St. John’s (16-9, 5-1 Big East) comes to town this weekend. Saturday’s doubleheader starts at noon.
