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Friday, May 17, 2013 6:48 p.m.

Baseball headed to A-10 playoffs for first time in seven years

by The GW Hatchet

First baseman Derek Brown forces out a VCU batter last weekend. The Colonials rode a 3-1 win against La Salle Friday to their first postseason appearance since 2006. Cameron Lancaster | Contributing Photo Editor

This post was written by Hatchet reporter Josh Solomon.

Zero wins. Nine losses. The inaugural season with head coach Gregg Ritchie and the newly renovated Barctoft Park was underway, but looked to be going nowhere quickly. Maybe it would take a few years to build a program that was capable of finding a winning season.

Zero trips. Seven years. GW baseball hasn’t been to the conference playoffs since 2006, and it seemed like seniors such as Tyler McCarthy and Kenny O’Brien would have to wait to come back and watch from the stands to see another GW team make it to the Atlantic 10 tournament.

That all changed after Friday’s 3-1 victory.

O’Brien would come pitch in relief to earn the win on the mound and McCarthy was involved in all three runs as the seniors found a way to finally make it the postseason.

With GW’s (24-30, 14-9) win over La Salle (24-26,15-8), and losses from both Saint Joseph’s and Butler, the Colonials clinched a playoff berth – even moving up into sixth place in the standing – finally making it back to the A-10 tournament.

“[Playoffs] mean everything to us. We very nearly missed it my freshmen year and it’s been a horrible taste in our mouth ever since. Just having something to play for going into your final week that means anything,” McCarthy said in release.

Friday’s game started off with heightened importance following a series opening 10-3 winning against LaSalle on Thursday. In this second game of three against the Explorers, the Colonials knew that a win would almost guarantee them a playoff spot – the only thing they needed to do was play their game and do some scoreboard watching later.

GW grabbed the lead early off the bat of a McCarthy RBI single in the first inning, scoring junior Owen Beightol, who had reached on a hit by a pitch and then stole second base.

The 1-0 lead would hold until the fifth inning, thanks to the support of junior Aaron Weisberg’s pitching. He gave up the Explorers’ lone run off of a one out RBI single to left field.

Weisberg found himself in trouble again in the seventh inning after allowing a leadoff single, a stolen base and then another single. With runners on first and third with one out, Ritchie opted to bring in his side-arming lefty, O’Brien. Weisberg left the game with a stat line of 6 1/3 innings pitched, four hits, one run, three walks and six strikeouts, keeping his team in the game the whole way through.

O’Brien struck out the first batter he faced and the second batter popped out to third base, ending the scare. O’Brien would go on to pitch a scoreless eighth inning, and would eventually earn the win on the day, his fourth of the season.

The bottom of the eighth inning started off with freshman Nolan Lodden reaching on an error, one of two costly errors the Explorers committed despite outhitting the Colonials eight to seven. A sacrifice bunt moved Lodden to second and then a single by McCarthy set up runners on first and third with one out for sophomore Xavier Parkmond to put his team ahead.

“He started me off with two fastballs, one was a strike and one was a ball and I knew he was going to come back with something off speed so I was just sitting on it and, hey, I got a single,” Parkmond said in a release.

Parkmond drove in two runs with his single to left-center, finding the gap and putting the Colonials up for good. All that was needed was the save from their reliable closer Craig LeJeune, who struck out the first two batters of the ninth and then recorded the final out on a grounder to second base.

“I know a lot of them haven’t gone to the tournament or even have a winning season, and to be the guy to provide the winning hit is awesome. They’re great guys and with all the new changes going on, I think we’re headed in a good direction and a good spot for the tournament,” Parkmond said.

The only thing left was to watch the scoreboard and see both Saint Joseph’s and Butler lose to secure the Colonials’ playoff bid as they head into the final game of the regular season – senior day.

“You know having to clinch and being able to enjoy senior day tomorrow, a lot less pressure and go out there and have a good time. It’s something we’ve worked so hard for four years that we are finally being able to experience,” McCarthy said.

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Thursday, May 16, 2013 6:39 p.m.

Baseball take crucial game one in final A-10 series

by The GW Hatchet

Left-hander Kenny O’Brien pitches in a game last weekend against VCU. The Colonials kept their playoff hopes alive Thursday with a win against La Salle. Cameron Lancaster | Contributing Photo Editor

This post was written by Hatchet staff writer Brennan Murray.

One swing of the bat and the Colonials were down 3-0. It was only the top of the first.

In a series that GW (23-30, 13-9 A-10) likely needs to win to keep its season alive, the three-run La Salle homer was a disheartening blow to start things off for the club in the series opener.

From there on though, the Colonials’ resilience became the story. In the bottom half of the first, GW upped the ante by plating four runs of its own, shredding the Explorers’ early momentum on the way.

The home team then added six more over the next six innings, making for nine unanswered runs – an impressive feat en route to a 10-4 comeback victory.

After allowing the three earned runs in the first, junior Luke Staub settled down and let his offense climb back in the game. He held La Salle to just one run over the next seven innings, finishing his eight-inning effort with a total of five strikeouts.

Three GW batters turned in multiple-hit performances to aid the comeback and put the game out of reach of the Explorers. The first was senior shortstop Matthew Murakami, who went 3-4 in the game with four RBI. His double off the wall in the bottom of the first drove in a pair and gave the Colonials a pivotal 4-3 lead.

Freshman catcher Mathieu Robért and junior Owen Beightol added two hits apiece as well, together contributing two more RBI.

After La Salle scored a run in the fifth, Staub and junior Craig LeJeune kept the Explorers’ bats silent through the end. LeJeune pitched a scoreless ninth to make the final score official.

With only two days remaining on the conference schedule and three teams jockeying to make the seventh-place cutoff, the Colonials need a favorable outcome to survive the weekend.

Here are the scenarios for GW to make its first postseason appearance since 2005:

If the Colonials sweep the Explorers, they will guarantee themselves a trip to the Tar Heel State with the seventh spot in the standings.

If they win only one more, eighth-placed Butler and Saint Joseph’s, who currently own 12-10 conference records, would have a chance to force a tiebreaker if either is able to win its respective series.

Lastly, if GW goes cold and drops its final two contests, a series win for either the Bulldogs or the Hawks would end the Colonials’ tournament bid.

Game two of the series versus La Salle is slated for 1:00 p.m. on Friday.

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Thursday, April 25, 2013 8:14 a.m.

McCarthy pushes Colonials to victory with arm and bat

by The GW Hatchet

This post was written by Hatchet staff writer Brennan Murray.

When one player dominates a game from both the pitcher’s mound and the batter’s box, the recognition typically gravitates towards him.

Then-sophomore Owen Beightol slides safely into third base last season. Beightol currently holds a nine game hit streak.  Hatchet File Photo

For senior Tyler McCarthy and the Colonials (15-26, 7-8 A-10) on Wednesday night, the storyline was no different.

McCarthy hurled eight strong innings from the hill, allowing four runs and fanning four UMBC batters.  Then from the plate, he knocked in three, almost single-handedly making up for the blemishes he allowed on the other side.

But there was another factor that helped GW’s non-conference ousting of UMBC. Senior Justin Albright and junior Owen Beightol extended their hitting streaks to seven and nine games, respectively.

If Beightol’s three RBIs paved the way for a Colonials victory, then Albright’s hot streak, during which he has gone 19-31 for a scalding .631 average, indicates that GW’s bats have awoken, and at a crucial time.

The Colonials are sitting in the middle of the pack in the A-10, a spot that will likely advance them to the conference tournament barring a fast downfall. With only three more A-10 series left in the season, the Colonials have a chance to buy themselves a more favorable tournament seeding if they continue to put runs together.

Only two Colonials in the starting lineup failed to reach base on Wednesday.  GW established a lead early and built on it often. With two in the first, third, and fourth innings, the Colonials headed into the bottom of the fourth with a commanding 6-0 lead.

Though McCarthy yielded a pair in the home half of the inning, GW poured on the offense again in the sixth and ninth innings. After coming into a tough spot in the bottom of the ninth, junior Craig LeJeune eventually shut the door on the Retrievers.

On the scoreboard, the Colonials’ offensive success showed: 12-5 GW.

Head coach Gregg Ritchie declined to offer a phone interview on his team’s win.

On Saturday, the Colonials will host non-conference foe James Madison for a doubleheader at Barcroft Park.

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Wednesday, April 24, 2013 12:37 a.m.

Colonials’ bats go quiet, fall to UMES

by Nick Ong

Before the Colonials put a run on the scoreboard, they were already in a hole their offense would not be able to lift them out of.

Senior Justin Albright manned shortstop for the Colonials during a game earlier this season against Richmond. Albright has a six-game hitting streak. Hatchet File Photo by Cameron Lancaster | Hatchet Photographer

The reigning Atlantic 10 player of the week, senior Justin Albright extended his hitting streak to six straight, but only recorded one hit. Meanwhile, junior Owen Beightol also extended his hitting streak to eight straight games.

Neither upperclassmen though could help GW (14-26, 7-8) scrape more than one run in their 4-1 home loss to University of Maryland – Eastern Shore (7-36), a game that was originally scheduled for March 6 but was postponed until Tuesday.

Following a weekend series win against A-10 foe Fordham, the Colonials could not find the offensive output needed to support their starting pitcher, freshman  Danny O’Donnell, who yielded three runs on eight hits in five innings of work.

The first two runs he gave up came in the second and fourth innings, as O’Donnell gave up a double that led to one run and then an RBI single.

GW threatened to come back in the bottom of the fourth with back-to-back singles to lead off the bottom half of the inning. But then a double play quickly turned the tempered rally, as the Colonials would only put one run on the scoreboard with an RBI double down the right field line by freshman Eric Kalman.

But that would be it – GW would not score again.

UMES only added to their lead in the fifth, scoring a third run off O’Donnell by way of a two-out single. The fifth inning would be O’Donnell’s final inning of work. Freshman Luke Olsen came in for relief in the sixth to finish the rest of the game, holding the Eagles to one more run.

Albright extended his hitting streak in the right with a lead off single. A pop up, strike out and then a fly out quickly ended any potential late inning threat.

The Colonials are set for road action again tomorrow against UMBC.

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Sunday, March 31, 2013 6:39 p.m.

GW garners second consecutive A-10 series win

by Elizabeth Traynor

Caption: Senior Ryan Hickey keeps his eye on the ball as he prepares to swing during the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader against Temple. Samuel Klein | Contributing Photo Editor

This post was written by Hatchet staff writer Brennan Murray.

There were two gone in the top of the ninth when senior closer Craig LeJeune hurled his final pitch towards home plate.

With the tying run on third and the go-ahead on first, a tense GW dugout watched silently as he let it fly, hoping a hard-earned shutout effort against Temple would survive one more desperate Owls swing.

Jammed, the batter tapped a slow roller out in front of LeJeune, who collected it with ease before throwing a bullet to first. Exhales swept through the stadium as the he recorded the final out of the game – and an overall thrilling series.

The out, which preceded a triumphant yet still humble team gathering by the pitcher’s mound, capped GW’s second consecutive conference series win, an impressive feat for a team that didn’t even taste victory until the tenth game of the season.

“If you really believe you can do it, every single game you go out there, no matter what the score is, you can find a way to win the game,” head coach Gregg Ritchie said following the win. “The biggest thing is mentality.”

Though a brief blip against UMBC snapped GW’s four-game win streak Wednesday, the Colonials (10-17, 5-1 A-10) returned to Barcroft Park this weekend as they looked to continue their perfect conference record. After three closely contested bouts, GW emerged with two victories, winning 4-3 in game one and 1-0 in game three, losing by just a two-run margin in the first half of Saturday’s doubleheader.

Forming a huddle in left field following their dramatic game three finish, the Colonials engaged in their customary postgame tradition, yelling “attitude and effort” on a count to three. For Ritchie, their elation on Sunday was simply a byproduct of adhering to that motto.

According to LeJeune though, his team possessed something more than good attitude and strong effort this weekend, something that he said helps better explain how GW has been able to transform into a team that’s now tied for first place in the A-10.

“I think we just have a lot of heart now,” LeJeune said.  “We have the will to win and the heart now, too.”

If the Colonials were playing with more heart this weekend, it certainly spilled onto the diamond Friday afternoon when they erased a three-run deficit to defeat the Owls in walk-off fashion. Freshman Danny O’Donnell pitched a scoreless eighth inning in relief before senior shortstop Matthew Murakami knocked a two-out RBI double to bring GW back within one.

Caption: Freshman Nolan Lodden covers second base as he tries to pick off a Temple baserunner who was leading off in an attempt to steal third. Samuel Klein | Contributing Photo Editor

With the score at 3-2 heading into the ninth, LeJeune pitched a perfect ninth before Colonials hitters took care of the rest in the final half inning. Senior Justin Albright drew a walk to start things off before freshman Tyler Fairbanks pushed him to second with a sacrifice bunt.

Pinch-hitting senior Derek Brown then knocked a single to left, scoring Albright to knot things up at three apiece. With two outs, junior Brookes Townsend stepped to the plate and grounded an infield single. An errant throw by Temple’s third baseman allowed pinch-running sophomore Xavier Parkmond to make it to the plate from second and score the winning run.

“Winning the first game of the series is always the biggest thing you can do,” Ritchie said. “It gives these guys the sense of ‘hey, we’re gonna win the series, let’s go get it.’ And that’s what we did.”

Though it’s easy to point to some clutch hits as the reason for the win, Ritchie praised his bullpen instead. Though relief pitching was one of the weaker points for the Colonials earlier this season, the back end of GW’s bullpen has been stellar of late. LeJeune, who garnered his fourth save on Sunday, echoed Ritchie’s emphasis on the mental aspect of the game when citing reasons for his recent success.

“It’s all about the mindset. I’m just going out there and giving it my all every time,” LeJeune said. “I’m just doing it for my team.”

In game two, the Colonials’ bats fell silent in what ended as a 3-1 loss. Temple’s starting pitcher Eric Peterson struck out nine GW batters in his complete game, one-run effort. The lone run he allowed came off an RBI single from Albright in the bottom of the fifth, one of just six total hits in the contest for the home team.

Though GW put together more patient at bats in the second half of the doubleheader, striking out six fewer times than in the first half, Colonials hitters didn’t plate a runner until Townsend drove a triple to left field in the bottom of the sixth. Junior Owen Beightol scored on the play, providing GW with its one and only run in the contest.

Junior Aaron Weisberg, senior Kenny O’Brien, and LeJeune all did their respective parts to preserve the slim advantage. After Weisberg turned in 6.2 innings of scoreless work, O’Brien finished off the seventh before LeJeune closed the door in the ninth.

It was an exciting finish made even more exciting by a record 300-plus crowd.

“Whether it’s 100 or 900, if those fans are active in the game, the players can feel it. They were feeding off of it all day, which was really nice to see,” Ritchie said.

Perhaps it was the confidence gained after coming back in game one that led the Colonials to their second straight conference series win. Perhaps it was because they played with more heart. But whatever it was that helped the Colonials play solid baseball this weekend, their success has given way to a new mindset in the dugout, one that Ritchie hoped he would eventually see.

“They really believe they can win,” Ritchie said. “That’s the biggest thing in any sport, whether you are playing tic-tac-toe or hangman, or if you’re out here on the baseball field.”

The Colonials are back in action Tuesday, when they square off against regional rival, and soon-to-be A-10 foe, George Mason.

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Monday, March 18, 2013 3:14 p.m.

Baseball team only able to win one of four in weekend series against Penn

by Elizabeth Traynor

Then-sophomore Owen Beightol slides safely into third base last season. Hatchet File Photo

This post was written by Hatchet reporter Joshua Soloman.

The Colonials are still working to figure out their identity as a ball club, and in the meantime, that means trying to figure out how to pick up victories, as well.

GW fell to 4-14 overall after losing three out of four in its series against Penn this weekend as inconsistent, error-filled ball plagued the team’s lineup.

A “small ball” offensive strategy might have been the key to their one victory and the hopeful signs they showed throughout all the games but one, but head coach Gregg Ritchie shied away from sticking that label upon his team’s approach.

“It’s called baseball. The game dictates how you play,” Ritchie said. “The game really shows you whether you’re going to play the so-called small ball or big ball or medium ball or mediocre ball or whatever. It’s baseball.”

GW split the second doubleheader of the weekend at Penn Sunday, winning the first game with a score of 6-4 but then dropping final game of the series, 6-4.

The Colonials scored their six runs in the first three frames of the first contest, as forcing three errors and five unearned runs. A couple push bunts, hit-and-runs, and aggressive base running lead to a sort of havoc that the Quakers could not handle. Junior Owen Beightol led the group with one hit, one RBI, and one run scored.

Freshman Max Kaplow did not have his best stuff on the mound, yielding six hits, four runs, and a walk in three and two-thirds work. Despite that, however, he earned his first collegiate win, something Ritchie partly attributed to the freshman’s confident attitude.

“Kaplow has that body language with every single pitch of every single inning of every single game whether he’s on the mound or whether he’s in the dugout,” Ritchie said. “The dude is an animal. He’s got the ultimate beast mode.”

The second game, and final of the series did not fare as well for the Colonials. They lost despite a rally in the eighth, narrowing the lead to 4-3.

A defensive collapse despite the best work of freshman pitcher Danny O’Donnell in the bottom half of the eighth brought home two additional runs for Penn, bringing it to 6-3.

Ritchie said that his young pitcher, who was clicking in four innings of relief work, earned about nine outs in that inning alone. GW threatened in the ninth, scoring one run. A double play then killed a first and third situation with one out to end its chances.

The Colonials dropped their first two games, 2-1 and 9-2, against Penn Saturday at home in Barcroft Park.

Junior Luke Staub dropped to 1-3 with a rocky first three innings but eventually turned his body language around and threw well, Ritchie said. Staub pitched a complete game of seven innings, two earned runs, one walk, and five strikeouts.

After going down early, the Colonials squandered a couple of opportunities to put a run across the plate. In the sixth, senior Derek Brown hit an RBI double to score freshman Andy Young from first. The seventh and final inning of the first game had GW set up with the tying run at second with one out- but back-to-back strikeouts sat down the Colonial’s chances of sending the game into extra innings.

The second game was not nearly as close due to physical and mental errors.

A leadoff walk in the third surrendered by junior Aaron Weisberg, four innings, five hits, six runs, one earned, followed by an error by the pitcher and a bases-loaded hit batsman lead to a two-run inning and the undoing of the Colonials.

In the third inning, freshman catcher Travers Nammnak was doubled up as he tried to advance to second base on the hit-and-run but did not realize the batter lined out to right field. This lead to Ritchie pulling his catcher for other freshman catcher Matthieu Robért. But Robért then made several defensive mistakes which lead to Ritchie bringing in Young to catch, who he said had not played the position since ninth grade.

“Completely unacceptable for any player to go out there with bad attitude or effort or go out there and make mental mistakes because of poor focus.You’re not going to play.  I will play every single guy, including my bullpen,” Ritchie said.

Robért then played well in the second doubleheader, but Ritchie said no player is guaranteed a slot on the field on any given day, a further sign of a team seeking to meld itself into a cohesive unit.

“There is no entitlement on this team whatsoever. There are no freshmen, there are no seniors, it’s only GW baseball players that figure out how to play the game tough, hard and correct. That’s it,” said Ritchie.

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Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013 8:08 p.m.

Baseball team drops three straight over weekend’s competition

by Elizabeth Traynor

Then-sophomore Owen Beightol slides safely into third base last season. Hatchet File Photo

This post was written by Hatchet reporter Joshua Solomon.

The Colonials could blame their 0-5 start on their stagnant offense or surrendering unearned runs, but they continue to point toward mental toughness.

GW visited USC Upstate for a three game series this weekend at the Spartans’ Harley Field. It dropped both games in the doubleheader Saturday, despite a strong effort by the bullpen to keep GW in the game and then fell in a lopsided affair, 9-3 Sunday.

“It’s not failure,” first-year head coach and former GW baseball standout Gregg Ritchie said. “It’s about learning to play the game clean.”

Ritchie said he wants his players to be more passionate their play. He did say a strength so far was very strong pitching. But the offense, he added, is not aggressive enough, taking too many pitches at the plate and not focusing on the planned approach.

The first of two games on Saturday’s wet doubleheader left GW looking back on two innings gone wrong. The Colonials could not come through in the top of the third with runners on first and second with one out. And the bottom of the fourth unravelled with an error by junior right fielder Owen Beightol, the ball just tipping off the heel of his glove and leading to two unearned runs and a 2-0 lead for USC UPstate.

A 1-2-3 top of the fifth sent junior Aaron Weisberg, making his first start of the season, back to the mount quickly. He retired the first two batters but a walk opened the gate for three base hits for three runs. GW could not rally back against the Spartans, losing by a final score of 5-0.

“It was more about the mentality and approach,” Ritchie said about his team’s goals for its series, rather than specifically focusing on hitting or pitching.

Although a more promising and error free game, the second half of Saturday’s doubleheader ended in a 3-1 loss. Junior Luke Staub pitched into the fifth inning, surrendering three earned runs with six walks in the seven-inning affair, shortened for the doubleheader.

The Colonials capitalized on an error in the top half of the second to score their lone run off a single from junior Brookes Townsend. But Upstate came right back in the bottom half with a double to the centerfield wall to tie up the game. In the fourth, a leadoff walk resulted in a two-run inning which capped the scoring for the game.

With a runner on first and the tying run at the plate, sophomore Xavier Parkmond threatened with a rip over the fence that flew just foul but then struck out on the next pitch. GW could not put together two runs and had to walk away with another loss.

“They just have to pull the bootstraps up,” Ritchie said about the losses. He’s looking for a revamped focus from players that “haven’t had a winning mentality for some time, and it has been some time.”

Sunday’s game the Colonials fell the hardest out of the three in a 9-3 loss.

In that contest, it was troubles at the mound that hit GW the hardest, with its relief pitching allowing runs in three straight innings. Freshmen Danny O’Donnell got the start and gave up four earned runs across in three straight innings. Though the team jumped out to a 3-0 lead, it was shortlived, and the Colonials couldn’t muster any offensive gas for the rest of the game.

But the slow start to the season isn’t an excuse for his team to give up, Ritchie said. He’s determined to push his players to rise to the occasion.

“Are you going to meet the challenge and do it? You got to meet it. We plan on meeting [it],” Ritchie said.

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Monday, May 7, 2012 3:58 p.m.

Weekend round-up

by Elizabeth Traynor

Junior Autumn Taylor heads to home plate in game two of an earlier doubleheader against Dayton. Hatchet File Photo.

Correction appended

Here’s a look at how the Colonials fared in weekend action:

Baseball

GW traveled to Saint Joseph’s for a three-game stand over the weekend, falling in the first two contests but returning to win the final game Sunday.

In the first game of the weekend, the Colonials  (18-30, 4-14 A-10) returned from a two-run deficit to force extra play, but fell 5-4 in the 11th inning. Senior Matt Murakami hit a RBI single in the eighth, and in the ninth, senior Stephen Oswald drove in a run on a base hit to pull GW even with the Hawks. But Saint Joseph’s returned to score on a passed ball in the 11th, securing its victory.

GW recorded just two hits in its 4-0 loss Saturday, but returned Sunday to earn a 2-1 victory over its A-10 rival. Oswald hit an RBI single in the top of the first to give the Colonials a one-run lead, an opening gap that sophomore pitcher Aaron Weisberg maintained until the sixth. He allowed just one run in five innings of work with three strikeouts, but loaded the bases in the sixth before junior Kenny O’Brien stepped in to turn a double play and a ground out to end the inning.

O’Brien pitched four innings of hitless relief and sophomore Owen Beightol nailed the go-ahead solo home run in the eighth inning to give GW the 2-1 win.

Softball

The Colonials split their action at Saint Louis this weekend but clinched an A-10 tournament berth with their opening victory.

Senior Kara Clauss tossed a four-hit complete game shutout, and saw her team get on the board in the sixth. An error allowed leadoff batter freshman Samantha Dos Santos reach base, before the bases were loaded and junior Julie Orlandi hit an infield single to drive Dos Santos home. The Colonials’ insurance run in their 2-0 victory came in the seventh, when junior Sandi Moynihan, also a Hatchet reporter, hit a one-out double to eventually score on a squeeze bunt from Dos Santos.

Saint Louis responded with an opening salvo in game two, using two hits and a GW error to score a run in the first. Junior Autumn Taylor stole home for the Colonials in the second, but the Billikens added another run in the third on a bases loaded walk. GW couldn’t answer that run, falling 2-1. Senior pitcher Heidi Penna allowed two runs on four hits and four walks in the complete game loss.

Women’s rowing

The women’s crew nabbed a second-place finish at the Atlantic 10 Championship on the Cooper River in Pennsauken, N.J., Saturday.

GW earned its best finish in the A-10 tournament since 2003, tallying a second-place finish in the Varsity 8 and fourth-place finishes in the JV8 and the Varsity 4.

Women’s rowing head coach Eric Carcich was named A-10 Coach of the Year at the end of the championship, the first GW coach to win the award since Steve Peterson in 2002.

This article was updated on May 7, 2012 to reflect the following:

The Hatchet incorrectly spelled Owen Beightol’s name as Owen Beigthol.

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Wednesday, April 25, 2012 9:35 p.m.

Colonials walk off with 10-9 victory over Navy

by Elizabeth Traynor

Senior Stephen Oswald runs towards first base during one of the Colonials' games earlier this season. Hatchet File Photo.

Fresh off a win over UMES, the Colonials returned to the diamond today for a 10-inning stand against Navy that ended with a walk-off 10-9 victory.

GW overcame a four-run deficit for the victory with junior Ryan Hickey drilling the walk-off RBI single to ensure the win by hitting a ground ball through the left side of the infield.

The Colonials were ahead 3-0 after the second but Navy took advantage of a GW fielding error for a four-run third inning, continuing its offensive streak in the fourth to push their lead to 6-3. The Colonials briefly answered with a run in the fourth, before Navy scored a pair of runs off an RBI double in the sixth to pull ahead 8-4.

The two teams traded runs before GW scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh to pull within one, and continued its rally in the ninth. The Colonials forced extra innings by tying the game in the bottom of the ninth, starting when Navy walked senior Stephen Oswald. He was substituted for pinch runner Hickey, who advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Senior Jimmy Best nailed a double to center field, sending Hickey home and setting the stage for his walk-off hit an inning later.

Best finished the game 2-for-2 with two RBIs, two runs scored and two walks, and sophomore Owen Beightol went 2-for-3 with one run and one RBI.

The Colonials conclude their 10-game home stand this weekend when they host Charlotte for a three-game series, beginning Friday at 4 p.m.

 

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Tuesday, April 24, 2012 9:33 p.m.

Baseball team defeats UMES 9-6

by Elizabeth Traynor

Senior Stephen Oswald runs towards first base during one of the Colonials' games against St. Bonaventure. Hatchet File Photo.

After a weekend that saw GW suffer a series sweep against St. Bonaventure, the Colonials returned to the field today to take down UMES 9-6.

It was a game marked by heavy hitting, with the two teams combining for 15 runs and 23 hits. GW took a 1-0 lead in the first, but UMES returned to tie it in the second. The Colonials remained unfazed, pulling ahead in the bottom of the second off an RBI from Jimmy Best. It was a sign of play to come from the senior, who finished the game with a home run, three hits and five RBIs.

The Hawks briefly hit their way to a 3-2 lead before GW exploded for a five-run third inning. Senior Stephen Oswald hit an RBI double to tie it, and sophomore Owen Beightol lined a single through the left side of the infield to join Oswald on base. Following a strikeout, Best took the plate to smash a home run, scoring himself, Beightol and Oswald. Freshman Grant Brown was next to head to the plate for GW and hit the first home run of his career to put up back-to-back homers for the Colonials.

UMES continued to score, pulling within two before Beightol hit an RBI single in the bottom of the fourth to tack another tally to GW’s score. Best rounded out the Colonials’ scoring for the day with another RBI in the fifth, scoring junior Ryan Hickey, who had hit a triple earlier in the inning.

Junior pitcher J.T. Wauford pitched five innings on the win, allowing six runs, four earned, with two walks and three strikeouts. Junior Justin Albright shifted from second base to the mound to earn the save, allowing just two hits and one walk over four shutout innings.

The Colonials host Navy tomorrow afternoon, with the first pitch scheduled for 3:30 p.m.

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