The Colonials posted two big wins this week, neither of which came easily. Senior Mike Bassett and his six-for-six performance helped erase a deficit and secure a 14-8 win over Towson Wednesday, while Jeff Fertitta knocked in the game-winning RBI for a 7-6 extra-innings win at George Mason Tuesday.
“We’re swinging the bats real well and having a good offensive approach,” said head coach Tom Walter, whose team won its 10th straight Wednesday and readies for a difficult series with Richmond this weekend.
The good offensive approach balanced trouble on the mound. Each of GW’s starting pitchers gave up a combined 10 runs in less than five innings.
Chris Worth (2-3) earned the win Wednesday, entering the game with the burden of a 7-3 deficit from starter David Rodriguez and reliever Dennis Gramolini’s seven runs on seven hits in five innings. Worth struck out four in his three innings.
GW’s offense took the pressure off Worth, as Bassett collected four RBIs off two homeruns and a double while the Colonials posted 19 hits Wednesday to erase a 7-2 deficit. Third baseman Matt Krimmel drove in three runs on two hits including a three-run homerun that put GW ahead 13-8 in the eighth inning.
Down 8-7 in the eighth, Krimmel and Jeff Fertitta each hit three-run homeruns to give GW a 13-8 lead. Krimmel’s homerun came after Nick Iovachhini walked and Tony Dokoupil singled for a 10-8 lead. After Bassett and second basemen Chris Barry singled, Fertitta hit his eighth homerun of the season, a three-run shot.
On Tuesday, starter Dan Sullivan allowed 10 hits and six runs on his four innings of work. He was bailed out by Fertitta, who drove in three runs in the game’s final two innings, and Mike O’Connor, who allowed one hit in two innings of relief to earn the win.
Fertitta hit a two-run homerun to straight-away centerfield to score Chris Barry and cut the lead to 6-5 in the ninth. Freshman Anthony Raglani tied the game on the next pitch, hitting his fourth homerun of the season to right field. In the tenth, Fertitta knocked in Bassett, who had doubled.
