Georgetown University baseball picked up another victory Monday with a 9-6 decision over Long Island at Shirley Povich Field in Bethesda, Md. Rightfielder Marc Carlini (Sr., Alexandria, Va./Episcopal) led the Hoyas (5-13, 1-2 BIG EAST) batting 2-4 with two RBIs while relievers P.J. Martinez (Jr., Washington, DC/Landon School) and Tony Pina (Jr., Middleboro, Mass./Middleboro) combined to hold the Blackbirds to one hit over the final four innings.
After falling behind 3-0 in the top of the second, the Hoyas quickly battled back scoring three of their own in the bottom half of the inning. With two outs and no one on, GU got four consecutive hits including a double by Phil Pierorazio (Jr., Scarsdale, N.Y./Eastchester) tying the game at 3-3. Taking advantage of an error, the Hoyas took a 4-3 lead in the third when Jim Vankoski (Sr., Aston, Pa./Strath Haven) crossed the plate with two outs. Georgetown increased their lead to 7-3 with three more runs in the fifth. Jason Boice (So., Glastonbury, Conn./Glastonbury) led off with a double and scored on Eric Santana’s (Sr., Santurce, P.R./Edgewood) single four batters later. Marc Carlini drove in the final two runs of the inning with a two-out double. Long Island rightfielder Mike Wilson homered in the sixth with one on trimming the lead to 7-5. The Blackbirds scored another run in the seventh but never got any closer as the Hoyas scored two more runs in the eighth and picked up the 9-6 victory.
Hoyas starter Patrick Salvitti (So., North Wales, Pa./La Salle) picked up the win in his first start of the season lasting five innings and striking out four. P.J. Martinez shut down the Blackbirds over the next three innings allowing just one hit while striking out two. Tony Pina pitched the ninth for his second save of the season. In nine appearances this season Pina has tossed 18 innings without allowing an earned run and is second on the team with 15 strikeouts.
The Hoyas battle the Blackbirds again on Tuesday at 3:00 in Bethesda, Md. before continuing their BIG EAST Conference play on March 24-25. On Saturday (3/24) they host St. Johns for a double header with first pitch at 12:00. Boston College comes in on Sunday (3/25) for two games also beginning at noon.
