Georgetown baseball scored eight runs in the top of the ninth to edge out Maryland 8-7 on Wednesday, March 7 in College Park, Md. The Hoyas took advantage of three errors and two walks in the ninth by the Terrapins to overcome the deficit and earn their first victory of the season. Freshman centerfielder Carlos Gazitua (Miami, Fla./Monsignor Pace) extended his hitting streak to seven games while leading Georgetown's offense batting 2-5 with two RBIs and a run scored.
The Hoyas pitching staff kept the game close as they combined for eight strikeouts while only walking two. Starting pitcher Jim Vankowski (Aston, Pa/Strath Haven) went five strong innings allowing five runs on eight hits and striking out a season-high five. Freshman pitcher Tom O'Connor (Philadelphia, Pa./La Salle) entered in the sixth striking out one holding the Terrapins to two runs on three hits over two innings. Senior pitcher Matt Arizin (Philadelphia, Pa./Penn Charter) helped preserve the comeback throwing two scoreless innings with three strikeouts and securing GU's victory.
Despite trailing 7-0 entering the ninth, the Hoyas battled back. Capitalizing on three errors and two walks by Maryland in the ninth, Georgetown put together a rally scoring eight runs on three hits to claim their first victory of the year. Sophomore Jason Boice (Glastonbury, Conn./Glastonbury) started the comeback leading off the ninth with a double down the left field line. Three batters later freshman catcher Michael Lombardi (Brookhaven, N.Y./St. Anthony's) doubled to right center scoring Boice and trimming the lead to 7-1. GU's next three runs would come via a wild pitch, consecutive hit batsmen, and an error cutting the lead to 7-4 with one out. With the bases loaded, Gazitua singled to center field reducing the deficit to one with Vankoski and Tony Lee (Bromall, Pa./Malvern Prep) crossing home plate. Down to their final out, the Hoyas caught one more break as Sophomore Robert O'Hare reached base on a throwing error by the third baseman allowing Georgetown to score the winning runs as both Gazitua and Marc Carlini (Alexandria, Va./Episcopal) scored.
The Hoyas are now 1-7. They begin a 16-game home stretch facing Howard on Thursday, March 8, at Shirley Povich Field in Bethesda, Maryland.
