3/24/2002
Bethesda, MD ? The Hoyas were unable to produce on offense today as they lost 2-8 in the final game of a three-game weekend series against the West Virginia Mountaineers. The loss drops Georgetown to 7-21 (2-4 BIG EAST) this season while West Virginia improved to 10-8 (2-1 BIG EAST) on the year.
A dominant performance by the Mountaineers starting pitcher Dustin Nippert curtailed any chance of the Hoyas winning their second consecutive game. He went a complete game striking out eight and limiting the Hoyas to five hits on the afternoon. Georgetown, on the other hand, used five different pitchers before finishing the game that combined to allow eight runs on 12 hits while striking out six and walking five. Starter Kevin Field (1-4) suffered the loss giving up seven runs on seven hits in six innings, although he did strike out five.
The teams traded runs in the second with the Hoyas scoring on a wild pitch that allowed Carlos Gazitua to score. But West Virginia grabbed three more runs on three hits in the third to take a 4-1 lead. Field looked to have control of the inning getting the first two batters out but three singles with a walk mixed in allowed for the big inning. The Mountaineers were then shut down for three more innings but followed with another three spot in the top of the seventh to take a commanding 7-1 lead.
Georgetown was able to scrape one more run together in the bottom of the seventh on what could have been a big inning. Sophomore catcher Michael Lombardi led off with a double and advanced to third on a James Supple single to left field. The threat was erased though when freshmen Bill Quinn grounded to second resulting in a double-play, although Lombardi did cross the plate for the Hoyas final run. West Virginia added one more run in the eighth securing the 8-2 victory.
Next up for the Hoyas is UMBC in Baltimore, MD on Wednesday, March 27th at 3:00 p.m. EST. Georgetown resumes their Conference schedule on Thursday and Saturday with doubleheaders against Villanova and Notre Dame respectively.
