The Colonials lost their second-consecutive series after falling 2-1 to Dayton last weekend and suffering a narrow defeat against Richmond Sunday.
The Colonials (10-21) split the first two games with the Spiders (14-18) before falling 13-3 on their last game, wrapping up the series with a loss Sunday afternoon. Dayton outscored GW 22-9 over the three-game series, overwhelming the Colonials’ pitching and laying it on Sunday with a total of 13 runs to close out the stretch of games.
Head Coach Gregg Ritchie said the team hopes to continue playing consistently and bringing a positive attitude to the field.
“It’s just a matter of being consistent and playing together and going out there with a winning mentality every day,” Ritchie said in a post-game interview. “These young men have come together strongly through adversities and challenges. And as you saw today, they played their hearts out, and they played one hell of a baseball game.”
Game One:
The Colonials narrowly defeated the Spiders during their first game 3-2, led by strong pitching from redshirt junior Logan Koester during the first eight innings.
Koester faced 31 batters and only gave up two runs to the Spiders, while freshman pitcher Max Haug relieved Koester during the last inning, where he recorded no hits. The Colonials took an early lead in the second inning by scoring three runs.
Sophomore catcher Tim Nicholson singled to left center, giving the graduate student and infielder Noah Levin the opportunity to score. Junior infielder Bryan Belo’s sac fly to the infield came shortly after, allowing senior infielder Robby Wacker to run home.
Sophomore outfielder Sam Gates’ unassisted groundout to first base permitted senior pitcher Michael Kohn to plate. During Levin’s game against Dayton March 31, he hit a historic mark as the ninth player to record 200 hits, 150 RBIs and 20 career home runs.
“I just am really grateful for the opportunities I’ve had here at GW,” Levin said. “There’s a big commitment on both sides. And it really shows the trust between me and [Coach Ritchie] and this program and my teammates. The numbers are the numbers, but being here, at this program, with people who I love and who I trust, that’s what makes it so great.”
The Spiders recorded a run in the fourth inning when first baseman Jake Elbeery walked, allowing left fielder Johnny Hipsman a scoring opportunity. Hipsman’s flyout during the fifth inning also allowed designated hitter Chase Conklin to make headway.
Both teams entered a scoring drought up to the ninth inning, finishing the final four innings run-less, ensuring a win for the Colonials, after GW’s defense snuffed out the Spiders’ potential game-tying run in the seventh inning.
Game Two:
Despite two home runs from Gates and Kohn respectively, the Colonials fell to the Spiders Saturday afternoon 7-3, after the Spiders recorded a successful eighth inning with four runs.
Graduate student and catcher Anthony Frechette singled to left field permitting Gates to score in the first inning. The Colonials’ pitching staff struggled to match the offensive abilities of the Spiders. Sophomore pitcher Teddy Brennan pitched the first six innings.
While facing 28 batters, Brennan recorded six hits and two runs. After six innings, the team alternated four more pitchers in an attempt to melee the Spiders, who racked up four runs during the eighth inning.
Brennan said as the team continues A-10 Conference play, the team has worked to continue their stamina through the game.
“Throughout the season, we have wanted to improve on finishing baseball games and playing more complete games in which our offense and defense come together to close out games, getting to the opposing teams bullpen, hitting late in the game, as well as having good starting pitching performances each day on the weekend,” Brennan said.
Game Three:
Sunday’s game proved another challenge for the Colonials as they fell 13-3 to the Spiders after Richmond gained momentum in the seventh inning, recording six runs.
The Colonials were only able to record three runs in the Sunday afternoon game, where their offense failed to increase chances for players to score due to weak batting that the Spiders’ defense took advantage of. The Spiders’ pitching team played on GW’s slowed offense to keep the bases clear.
Senior utility player Steve DiTomaso scored after Frechette doubled down the infield line, allowing a narrow scoring gap between the Spiders, who scored two runs during the inning. Belo collected a run for the Colonials during the fourth inning after DiTomaso singled to center field.
The Spiders collected six runs during the seventh inning, placing a large gap ahead of the Colonials after a pitching substitution placed junior pitcher Christopher Kahler on the mound. The Colonials struggled to kickstart their offensive response and only scored one more run during the whole game during the eighth inning when Levin made it home.
