Feb. 28, 2007
Box Score
Washington, D.C. - The Georgetown University baseball team could not get its offense working today as they were defeated 2-1 at Navy on Wednesday afternoon at Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium. The Hoyas (2-4) could not get the run support to back the superb pitching of Jimmy Saris (Great Falls, Va./Langley) who threw a complete game five-hitter. Navy (9-2) scored the winning run in the eighth inning on a Georgetown error.
Saris, a sophomore right-hander, pitched all eight innings for the Hoyas and struck out a career-high nine batters. On the season, batters are hitting only .236 against Saris, who is tied for the team lead in strikeouts with 12.
Navy got on the board after only two batters came up in the first inning. Centerfielder Renaldo Hollins led-off with a triple into the left center gap and then shortstop Kendall Bolt fouled out to junior first baseman Matt Harrigan (Syracuse, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy). Hollins tested Harrigan's arm and was able to beat the throw and give the Middies a 1-0 lead.
Georgetown had a good chance at getting on the board in the fifth inning with senior centerfielder Mark McLaughlin (Walnut Creek, Calif./De La Salle) on second and sophomore rightfielder Sean Baumann (Tampa, Fla./Freedom) 90-feet from home. However, senior leftfielder Derek deGrijs (Nashville, Tenn./Goodpasture) grounded right back to the pitcher to end the threat.
The Hoyas tied it up in the seventh inning thanks to some alert base running. A double-steal involving Baumann and senior third baseman Joseph Graziano (Floral Park, N.Y./Chaminade) caused Navy catcher Steven Soares to throw the ball away and allow Graziano to come home with the tying run.
The Hoyas had the lead runner in scoring position with one out later on in the seventh and then again in the eighth, but were unable to capitalize both times.
In the bottom of the eighth, Navy rightfielder Mitch Harris hit a groundball that was misplayed by Graziano at third. This allowed Navy to take the deciding 2-1 lead in the ballgame. Saris avoided further damage and kept Georgetown in the game by retiring the next two batters with bases loaded, but the Hoyas went down in order to end the game.
Georgetown next travels to Florida to play its next nine games. The Hoyas will play Ohio State this Friday, March 2 at 8 p.m. in Clearwater, Fla. After that, the Hoyas will travel to Bradenton, Fla. to play the following eight games.
