Georgetown 5 Holy Cross 4 (11 innings)
WINTER PARK, Fla. – Senior Brendan Akashian (Lowell, Mass.) drove in two runs for the Holy Cross baseball team but it wasn’t enough as Georgetown outlasted Holy Cross, 5-4, in extra innings today during the Rollins Baseball Week Tournament. The Crusaders fall to 0-5 on the season while Georgetown improves to 5-3.
Junior Jake Gorman (Norfolk Mass.) also had a strong day at the plate as he went 2-for-4, including a triple and scored twice for the Crusaders.
Georgetown’s Sean Lamont hit a two-out double to right center field, driving in Kelly Muir from first base, tying the game, 4-4, in the bottom of the ninth, pushing the game into extra innings. The Hoyas clinched the win in the bottom of the 11th inning as Rob Begin scored from third on a wild pitch.
Holy Cross jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning as Akashian drove in the first run of the game after being hit by a pitch with bases loaded, scoring sophomore Matt Perry (Sudbury, Mass.). With the bases loaded again, senior Kyle Lister (Lincoln, R.I.) also drove in a run after being hit by a pitch. Junior Tim Hughes (Andover, Mass.) singled to the shortstop driving in the third run of the inning, scoring Gorman.
The Hoyas put up their first run of the game in the second inning as Chip Malt hit a single, driving in Dan Capeless from third base. Georgetown evened the score, 3-3, in the third inning as Jack Bender and Tommy Lee scored on a fielding error.
Akashian put Holy Cross on top, 4-3, in the fifth after hitting a sacrifice fly, scoring Gorman who had hit a leadoff triple to begin the inning.
Grady McConnell picked up the win for the Hoyas, pitching five innings allowing just two hits while striking out four batters. Senior Mike Thater (Danbury, Conn.) had an impressive day on the mound, pitching seven and two thirds innings, scattering eight hits and giving up three runs while striking out four batters. Sophomore Chris Blanchard (Norwich, Conn.) received the loss for the Crusaders, pitching two and two thirds while giving up two hits, two runs while fanning three batters.
Holy Cross returns to action tonight as it plays Rollins at 7:00 p.m.
Holy Cross 14 Rollins 4
WINTER PARK, Fla. – Senior Brendan Akashian (Lowell, Mass.) went 4-for-5 including a double and drove in two runs to lead the Holy Cross baseball team to a 14-4 victory over Rollins in non-conference play. The Crusaders improve to 1-5 on the season while the Tars’ drop to13-6-1.
Sophomore Matt Perry (Sudbury, Mass.) also played well on offense for Holy Cross as he went 3-for-4 including a double and driving in three runs. Sophomore Matt Shapiro (Raynham, Mass.) picked up his first career victory, pitching seven and one third innings, scattering seven hits and allowing three hits while striking out five batters.
Holy Cross rallied four runs in the second inning as Akashian and sophomore Billy Cupelo (Franklin, Mass.) hit back-to-back doubles, scoring Akashian. After reaching third on an error, Cupelo came home as freshman Jack Laurendeau (Sudbury, Mass.) hit a single up the left side of the field. Freshman Brendan McCrea grounded out to the shortstop, scoring freshman Eric Oxford (Danvers, Mass.) and Perry singled through the left side, driving in Laurendeau, making the score 4-0.
A solo home run by Corey Whiting down the right field line, providing the first offense for the game for the Tars.
The Crusaders scored three more runs in the top of the fifth inning as back-to-back singles by McCrea and Perry set up an RBI single by sophomore John Sills (Milton, Mass.), scoring McCrea. Perry scored on a throwing error and a single by Akashian down the right field line scored Sills, putting Holy Cross on top, 7-1.
Holy Cross drove in five more runs in the sixth inning, led by Perry who hit a two-run single and Akashian who drove in a run and scored for the Crusaders. A double by junior Jake Gorman (Norfolk, Mass.), giving Holy Cross a 13-1 lead.
Whiting continued to lead the struggling offense for Rollins as he singled through the right side, driving in Jesse More in the bottom of the seventh inning. Rollins put up two more runs in the bottom of the eight as Jason Cutlip singled up the middle, scoring Harry Honeycutt and Mike Crane. Both teams scored one run in the ninth inning, but the Crusaders finished on top, 14-4.
Michael Prusak received the loss for Rollins, pitching four and two third innings, giving up 10 hits and seven runs while fanning two.
Holy Cross returns to action tomorrow as it plays St. Joseph’s at 12:00 p.m
