This post was written by Hatchet staff writer Josh Solomon.
The weekend pitching rotation, at least for now, is finding a rhythm: four men for three days – plus a stifling backend in the bullpen.
The Colonials swept the series from Dayton at home to move into sole possession of first place in the Atlantic 10.
“It’s always nice. It’s still a long way to go,” head coach Gregg Ritchie said. “I told the guys the other day, it is simply one game and one game only. The most important game is today’s game. You earned nothing until you win today’s game and that’s it.”
The usual game one and game two starters, junior Bobby LeWarne and freshman Robbie Metz, threw on Friday and Saturday to lock up the series. Sunday called for the piggyback pen: a couple innings to start from junior Shane Kemp and then a commanding pick me up from sophomore Jacob Williams.
For his fourth start in a row, Kemp did not make it out of the third inning or over 45 pitches. Instead he exited at the first sign of trouble – missing the strikezone resulting in runners standing at second and third with one out.
“He makes us better if he’s a starter,” Ritchie said. “Is it a seal or a lock? No, it’s something we’re trying to figure out with him. Fortunately we have a lot of guys that can fit that bill. It’s something we need to seriously evaluate going into next week.”
Williams came in and commanded. He gave up a sacrifice fly to allow Dayton to score their second and final run of the game.
“It’s a little difficult, but it’s a spot I like coming into,” Williams said. “It’s high pressure. It’s a little more about you got to hit your spot and not let them get a hit.”
He worked off his fastball and said it helped seeing LeWarne force the Flyers hitters to him with his fastball. He would give up one hit and retire 14 in a row in six innings of relief.
GW would need their bullpen to hold them in the tight 3-2 win. Sophomore Eddie Muhl came in to save the game – again. He closed out all three games in the series, en route to setting the GW single season save record with his 13th save.
“It’s not something that you think can happen until it does,” Muhl said. “It doesn’t really feel real. It’s been a great season so far and I’m just trying to keep it going.”
He adds to his family’s legacy at GW. His aunt, Kas Ellen ’88 is in the GW Athletic Hall of Fame, as a former basketball player.
The Colonials’ offense seemed like it was rolling for the first two innings where they scored all three of their runs.
In the first, a balk followed by a big two-out double by sophomore Andrew Selby scored two for GW.
Senior Ryan Xepoleas led off the second inning with a bang, blasting a 3-2 pitch over the high wall in right. Later in the game he just missed a home run going over the scoreboard in right by inches. Instead, he settled for a double.
“He came in with a little bit of a different look to his face today,” Ritchie said. “Haven’t seen that look in his eyes in a very long time, not even in warm ups, not even in BP. He had a look that was just stare you down type of look. He hasn’t had that look. It’s been a hollow look for a while. So it’s really nice to see that come out of him.”
Weekend Recap:
Picking up momentum this week after defeating their first ranked opponent since 2008 – No. 16 Maryland, 12-1 at College Park – GW won its home conference season against Dayton to improve to 9-2 in the A-10, good for second in the league.
Friday: 3-2 GW
Junior Bobby LeWarne did not give up a run until the eighth inning, by that point the Colonials had a lead, good enough for the win.
GW scored three runs in the sixth, started by a full-count leadoff double to left center by sophomore Andrew Selby. Dayton then misplayed a bunt by sophomore Kevin Mahala, resulting in runners on the corners after the Flyer’s errantly threw to third. Freshman Matt Cosentino would double in Selby for the first run of the ballgame. Sophomore Eli Kashi executed a successful suicide squeeze to score the second. Sophomore Joey Bartosic would single in the third and final run of the inning.
LeWarne would exit in the eighth, after allowing two doubles and one run. He picked up his team-high sixth win of the season, giving up two runs in 7.1 innings on 89 pitches, allowing five hits, striking out four and walking none.
Sophomore Eddie Muhl picked up the save, coming in the eighth to get the final out.
Saturday: 4-1 GW
Bartosic led the team to the series clinching win, going 2-4 with three RBI including a two out, go-ahead, two-RBI single to right center in the fifth.
The Colonials would tack runs in the seventh and eighth, driven in by a Bartosic double and a Cosentino triple into the corner, respectively.
“They took very quality at bats all day,” Ritchie said after the game. “It may not have been a barn-burner on the hitting side but all of a sudden we pounded out 12 hits.”
Metz picked up the win, in a recovery week for the freshman who left his last start a week prior with a dead arm. He dazzled in six innings on Saturday, giving up one run on six hits and striking out four in 87 pitches.
Sidearming junior Luke Olson came in and threw two shutout innings to bridge the way to Muhl who picked up the save.
– Peter Hoegler contributed reporting.