The GW baseball team climbed atop the Atlantic 10 West standings this weekend, sweeping a three-game series against Dayton. Saturday, the Colonials won a rain-delayed game 3-1 and then took both ends of a doubleheader Sunday.
“We have been playing good ball lately,” head coach Steve Mrowka said. “We have been trying to turn the corner and get a sweep. Today we did by picking up some close victories.”
The Colonials (30-13, 10-5 A-10) have won five straight games and four straight A-10 series. Mrowka, in his first season with the Colonials, said the team has adjusted to his coaching style.
“It’s tough for a new coach because you have a different style and you’re trying to get the players to jump on board,” Mrowka said. “But they have stuck with it and now we are playing pretty well.”
Inclement weather on Friday and early Saturday morning forced the two teams to play one seven-inning game Saturday. On Sunday, the two teams played a seven-inning game to start the doubleheader and then a nine-inning game to close out the series.
In the second game of the Sunday doubleheader, the Colonials used an impressive pitching performance from junior Josh Wilkie to pick up the series sweep 8-2. Wilkie went seven strong innings, shutting down Dayton’s offense (23-18, 9-6 A-10) and allowing just one earned run. The victory moved him to 4-3 on the season.
Senior Ryan Roberson and Tom Shanley hit home runs and combined to knock in four runs.
Shanley hit a two-run homer and was 2-for-4 with three RBI’s in the victory. Roberson hit a solo home run, his 11th of the season. Senior Brad Rosenblat (1-for-3, BB) scored twice in the contest.
In the first game of the doubleheader, the Colonials needed extra innings to secure the victory. Up 5-3 in the ninth, junior closer Dan Pfau had trouble finishing the game. Pfau allowed two runs to score before being pulled.
Sophomore Derek Haese entered and closed out the inning. GW could not muster any offense in the bottom of the seventh, sending the teams into extra innings.
Senior Dan Sullivan started the game but lasted just five innings, allowing three-runs. Shanley and sophomore Mickey Shupin both went 3-for-4.
This week GW will square off against cross-town rival Georgetown (22-25). The two teams will play a home-and-home, starting Tuesday at Barcroft Park at 3 p.m. Wednesday the two teams will play at Shirley Povich field, the home of the Hoyas, under the lights at 7 p.m.
Last season the two teams spilt the season series, but GW has dominated Georgetown historically. The two teams first met in 1953 with GW winning 10-1, and since then the Colonials are 83-24-1 against their rival.
“We expect two very tight games against a good team with a little emotion mixed in,” Mrowka said.
