March 16, 2017 WASHINGTON - The Georgetown University baseball team returns to action this weekend as it travels to Gardner-Webb University for a three-game series against the Runnin' Bulldogs. The weekend will open with a 6 p.m. game on Friday before a pair of afternoon games -- 2 p.m. on Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday -- close out the series. Live stats for all three games will be available at www.GUHoyas.com.
The Hoyas (11-6), who have won nine of their past 10 games, are coming off of a 7-1 trip to the Snowbird Baseball Classic in Florida. The GU offense scored at least 10 runs in each of its final three wins over Lafayette and have reached the 10-run mark in six of its past 10 games. In those 10 games, four different Hoyas batted over .400 and the offense hit at a .326 clip with a .437 slugging percentage and a .429 on-base percentage. Meanwhile, the pitching staff recorded a 3.52 ERA with two shutouts and is holding opponents to a .251 batting average.
Senior first baseman Jake Kuzbel (Ashburn, Va./Stone Ridge) was named the BIG EAST Player of the Week on Monday, marking the second-straight week a Hoya has earned the honor as Michael DeRenzi (Mendham, N.J./Seton Hall Prep) was also player of the week on March 6. Kuzbel led the Hoya offense to a 4-1 week, batting .550 (11-for-20) with two doubles, a triple, seven runs scored and eight RBI. He also registered a .565 on-base percentage and a .750 slugging percentage while going 1-for-1 in stolen bases. He had two four-hit performances and three overall multi-hit performances.
Current Streaks
Zach Racusin (Morristown, N.J./Salisbury School/Marist) is currently riding a 14-game hitting streak and has hit safely in all but one game this season. He and Jake Bernstein (Frederick, Md./St. John's College HS) are the only two Hoyas to have reached base safely in all 17 contests.
National Statistical Rankings
Georgetown currently ranks in the top 50 nationally in several statistical categories. Additionally, several Hoyas rank in the top 25 nationally for individual statistics.
TEAM
| 5th | Sacrifice Bunts | 19 |
| 12th | Triples | 8 |
| 19th | Sacrifice Flies | 10 |
| 19th | Hit-by-Pitch | 19 |
| 23rd | Walks Allowed per 9 Innings | 2.78 |
| 27th | Hits | 184 |
| 36th | Runs Scored | 126 |
| 38th | Runs per Game | 7.4 |
| 39th | Batting Average | .306 |
| 44th | On-Base Percentage | .397 |
INDIVIDUAL
| 1st | Kuzbel | Sacrifice Flies | 5 |
| 5th | Swad | Saves | 5 |
| 6th | DeRenzi | Hits | 31 |
| 8th | DeRenzi | RBI | 24 |
| 10th | Racusin | Hits | 30 |
| 10th | DeRenzi | Triples | 3 |
| 10th | Mathews | K-BB Ratio | 13.50 |
| 11th | Bernstein | Toughest to K | 1/34 |
| 17th | DeRenzi | Total Bases | 13.50 |
| 17th | DeRenzi | Runs Scored | 22 |
| 21st | Mathews | Walks Allowed/9 | 0.66 |
Schedule Note
Georgetown's scheduled midweek game at UMES on Wednesday was postponed due to impending inclement weather. The two teams will make up the game as part of a doubleheader at Shirley Povich Field on May 10. A seven-inning game will start at 5 p.m. with a nine-inning game following immediately afterward.
What's Coming Up Next
Following this weekend's series at Gardner-Webb, the Hoyas will play their first home game of the season on Wednesday, March 22, hosting Coppin State at Shirley Povich Field. The Blue & Gray will then hit the road again next weekend, traveling north to Providence, R.I., for a two-day, three-game series against Brown.
