The GW baseball team straightened out its record this weekend with four wins in its home-opening series at Barcroft Park. After losing four of its last five games against top teams like No. 5 Tulane, Cal State-Northridge and UNLV, GW (8-7) climbed above .500 for the first time this season with a win over Towson University Friday and sweep of the University of Hartford Saturday and Sunday.
The Colonials blasted Hartford (0-5) with 10 runs in their last four innings en route to a 19-8 victory in a series finale Sunday afternoon.
With the score tied at six in the bottom of the fourth, Matt Krimmel’s homerun (1) drove in Tony Dokoupil and Jeff Fertitta, putting GW up 9-6. The Colonials did not trail again.
Jeff Fertitta, who was five of six on the day, also had a three-run home run in the third (1), while Tony Brown finished things off with a grand slam in the eighth (1).
In three innings, starter Chris Worth allowed six runs off seven hits. He fanned eight, including the first four Hawks he faced. Freshman Dan Sullivan earned the win, giving up one run on three hits in four innings. Glen Skutnik gave up one run on two hits in two innings of relief.
GW won the rubber game against Hartford 9-2 on a rainy Saturday evening powered by freshman Joe MichalskiOs sixth-inning homerun, the first of his college career. Sparked by MichalskiOs shot with Nick Iovacchini on base, Tony Dokoupil and Matt Krimmel each hit doubles to bring in three more runs, extending the Colonials 3-2 lead to 6-2.
GW took the first game of the doubleheader Saturday morning 8-1 with a strong performance by starter Greg Conden (3-0) who pitched a complete game, giving up one run off four hits. Conden fanned four on the day.
Before the Hartford series, the Colonials took on Towson Friday in their home opener. GWOs 10-run fourth inning and Mike BassettOs two homeruns in the seventh led the Colonial baseball team to a 22-6 victory.
“Hitting is contagious,” head coach Tom Walter explained. “When your hitting well it seems like everyone is hitting well.”
