Baseball secured a 2-1 series home win against VCU this weekend, improving their A-10 record to 6-6.
Following a loss to Maryland, GW (15-26, 6-6 A-10) opened the series with a 9-2 victory Friday. On Saturday, VCU gave the GW pitching staff headaches, crossing the plate seven times between the sixth and seventh innings before inclement weather cut the game short, resulting in a 11-4 Rams win.
The Colonials captured the series Sunday with a narrow 3-2 victory, propelled by home runs from junior utility player Eddie Micheletti and senior infielder Robby Wacker.
Game 1:
The Colonials ran away with game one off the bat, scoring five runs in the first two innings and tacking on two more in the fourth to gain a 7-1 advantage.
In the bottom of the first, senior utility player Steve DiTomaso hit a laser down the right field line, advancing to third from his second batter position. The next at-bat, Micheletti, grounded out to first but batted in DiTomaso to give GW a one-run advantage and notch the first of his three RBIs in the afternoon.
Graduate student utility player Michael Kohn cracked the Colonials lone home run during the second inning, batting in graduate student infielder Noah Levin to put GW up 3-0. Sophomore outfielder Sam Gates hit a single past second base to bat in Wacker from third, pushing the Colonial lead to four runs.
With Gates advanced to third off a DiTomaso single to right field, Micheletti recorded his second RBI with a grounder to right field, sending Gates home and capping off the early scoring to give GW a 5-0 lead through two innings.
The Colonials struck again in the fourth inning when junior infielder Bryan Belo crossed the plate following a DiTomaso single up the middle. In the next at-bat, Gates scored the Colonials’ seventh run of the game coming off Micheletti’s third-recorded RBI.
GW extended their lead to eight runs in the bottom of the eighth when Gates doubled to right-center on a 1-1 count, splitting the center and right fielders and allowing freshman utility player Alexander Wright to score the final Colonial run.
On the defensive side, redshirt junior pitcher Logan Koester pitched a full eight innings, throwing one strikeout, contributing to his total of 36 through the season. Koester allowed eight hits off 32 at-bats while trusting his defense to throw out 13 ground balls.
Senior pitcher Max Haug relieved Koester after the starter gave up a home run to Rams redshirt junior Nic Ericsson in the top of the ninth. Haug closed the game in 16 pitches against four batters, sealing the 9-2 victory for the Colonials.
Game 2:
In game two of the series, the Colonials struggled on defense, cycling through five pitchers and ultimately giving up 11 runs before officials suspended the game in the seventh inning due to inclement weather.
When play briefly resumed, the Colonials successfully scored a run in the bottom of the seventh but were unable to make up the deficit before weather officially ended the game.
After Gates walked on a full count in the first inning and DiTomaso pushed him to second with a walk of his own, Micheletti scored them both in with a homer to right field, giving GW early momentum.
The Colonials’ pitching staff struggled against the Rams’ hitters, running through five pitchers out of the bullpen. Sophomore pitcher Teddy Brennan pitched for the first five innings where he faced 25 batters, allowing five walks and four runs.
GW continued to rotate pitchers, cycling through freshmen Colin Ruddy who pitched 0.1 innings and Cade Davis who pitched one inning – each walked a player. Redshirt junior pitcher Anthony Germinerio also pitched 0.1 innings and walked a player.
Sophomore pitcher Brayden Kurtz took over for the Colonials Sunday after play resumed and pitched for 2.1 innings where he attained three strikeouts.
With the bases loaded, Wright walked, pushing in Micheletti to score the Colonials fourth and final run of the game.
Game 3:
On Sunday, the Colonials clinched the series with a narrow 3-2 game that nearly slipped away in the eighth inning. The team maintained steady scoring, earning a run during the fourth, fifth and sixth innings.
Micheletti led off the Colonials in the fourth inning by nabbing his second home run of the weekend and fifth of the season. Micheletti’s 3-3 performance marked his tenth straight game with a hit.
Wacker, who previously collected a run in the Colonials’ first game, secured a home run in the fifth inning, earning his 26th run of the season. In the sixth inning, graduate student and catcher Anthony Frechette’s single to center field scored in Micheletti from third base.
In the top of the eighth inning, Ericsson’s home run to left field earned two runs for the Rams.
Junior Chris Kahler, the reigning A-10 Pitcher of the Week, pitched a complete game, tying his career best of ten strikeouts.
The Colonials will take on William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia Tuesday at 6 p.m.