March 14, 2009
Box Score
Washington, D.C - The Georgetown University baseball team jumped out to an early lead on Saturday before falling behind, tying the game, and then losing it late, 12-8, to Maine.
Georgetown jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second as the first six batters reached base safely. Dan Godefroi started things off by getting to first on an error by Maine's shortstop. Rand Ravnaas and Andy Lentz both singled on the first pitch they saw, allowing Godefroi to score the game's first run. Greg Pustizzi doubled his RBI total for the season with one swing, knocking a two-run double down the left-field line and scoring Ravnaas and Lentz. Tom Elliott walked and Tommy Lee reached on a bunt single back to the mound, but a double play and fly out ended the inning.
Up 3-1 in the fifth, GU tacked on two more runs. Dan Capeless started the frame with a triple into the right-center gap and scored on a single to left by Sean Lamont. A failed pick-off move moved Lamont across the diamond to third base and after a strikeout, Ravnaas belted a run-scoring single to left.
Jimmy Saris earned the start and cruised through the first four innings but got in trouble during the fifth. Maine hit the ball out of the infield three times, all singles, but scored five runs to take a 6-5 lead. Three walks, two wild pitches, a hit batsman and a passed ball helped the Black Bears cause.
The Hoyas tied the game in the sixth after Pustizzi singled to left and Elliott knocked him in with a triple to right-center. However, with Elliott on third and no one out, three consecutive strikeouts left the junior stranded and the game knotted, 6-6.
Maine re-took the lead in the bottom half of the inning and added another run in the seventh to make the score, 8-6, but the Blue & Gray were undaunted in their attack. With two outs in the top of the eighth, the Hoyas made their last rally of the game. Elliott singled up the middle and stole second before Lee hit a grounder to third. The ball was thrown away and Lee circled the bases, winding up at third while Elliott scored and cut the lead to a run. After a pitching change, Erick Fernandez hit one back up the middle to tie the game, 8-8.
Despite the comeback, the momentum disappeared quickly as the Black Bears hit two home runs in the bottom of the eighth for a 12-8 lead. Billy Concannon, Pablo Vinent and Jack Bender struggled in relief duty this afternoon, allowing six runs in three innings of work.
The Hoyas will play in the consolation game of the tournament tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. against Penn.
