Georgetown’s baseball team scored nine runs in the ninth but came up short losing the 17-10 decision at UMBC (Alumni Field) April 17, 2000. The Hoyas combined for 15 hits by all nine starters, including two homeruns and six doubles. The loss drops GU to 9-31 on the season while UMBC improves to 19-12-2 this year.
The Retrievers jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first and added another eight in the second. UMBC increased their lead to 11-0 with another run in the fourth. It wasn’t until third baseman Ron Cano’s (Fr., El Segundo, Calif./El Segundo) leadoff homerun in the fifth that the Hoyas got on the board. Georgetown’s pitching staff gave up six more runs combined in the seventh and eighth before the Hoyas offense exploded in the ninth. Designated hitter Robert O’Hare (So., San Jose, Calif./Mission College) led off the inning with a single to left field. Georgetown, following shortstop Jay Catalano’s (Sr., Hunting Valley, Ohio/Univ. School) walk and four consecutive doubles by rightfielder Brian Cassese (Sr., Scarsdale, N.Y./East Chester), Cano, centerfielder Marc Carlini (Sr., Alexandria, Va./Episcopal), and second baseman Matt Carullo (So., Oakton, Va./Paul VI) had trimmed the lead down to 17-5. Leftfielder Jason Boice (So., Glastonbury, Conn./Glastonbury) continued the bat-around singling to right field and knocking in Carlini. First baseman Eric Santana (Sr., Santurce, P.R./Edgewood) followed with a single and was knocked in when O’Hare drove a ball to straightaway centerfield for a three-run homerun and the Hoyas final runs.
Starting pitcher Jim Vankoski (Sr., Aston, Pa./Strath Haven) suffered the loss and fell to 2-4 on the season. Both O’Hare (2-5, 3 RBI, 2 R) and Cano (2-5, 3 RBI, 2 R) hit their second homeruns of the season while leading the Hoyas offensive attack.
Georgetown hosts Navy for a double header on Wednesday in Bethesda, Md. (Shirley Povich Field) beginning at 5:00 p.m. The Midshipmen enter the contest with a 13-20-1 record and are led offensively by Nick Sylvester (.340, 2 HR, 19 RBI) and Willie Gury (.302, 2 HR, 21 RBI).
