May 3, 2008

Box Score

Washington, D.C. - For the second night in a row, the Georgetown University baseball team lost a contest in the late innings to the Louisville Cardinals, 5-3, at Shirley Povich Field. Trailing in the eighth by three runs, the Hoyas managed to scrap their way back into contention, and eventually tie the game, before dropping it in the final inning.

Trailing in the eighth, Louisville relieved starter Zach Pitts and turned it over to freshman righthander Thomas Royse with a 3-0 lead. Georgetown quickly attacked as sophomore shortstop Tom Elliott singled to left, starting the inning. Sophomore Tommy Lee then hit into a fielder's choice which cut down Elliott at second for the first out. With one down, sophomore Chip Malt unleashed his second homerun as a Hoya with a deep shot over the left-center wall. The round-tripper sliced the UofL lead to 3-2 and aroused the GU crowd.

Senior Matt Harrigan followed with an infield single to put the tying run on base, but after a liner to left field put two outs on the board, finding the equalizer seemed like a tough task. The Cardinals made another pitching change and sophomore Dan Capeless lifted a single to left center. Aggressive base-running by Harrigan allowed him to take third on the play and stand 90 feet from evening the score. Senior Matt Iannetta stepped in and hit a ball that went off Cardinal reliever B.J. Rosenberg's wrist and died in the infield, scoring Harrigan and leveling the contest at 3-3.

Senior Michael Gaggioli went six innings and allowed three runs; however, none of them were earned. The lefthander also struck out six Cardinals and held the UofL scoreless during five of the frames he pitched. Sophomore Cary Piligian worked his second straight night and pitched a perfect inning of relief. Classmate Alex Meyer followed suit and pitched a scoreless inning for the Blue and Gray. Senior Daniel Kennedy took the tough loss.

Pitts, a senior righthander and last season's BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year, shutout the Hoyas and allowed only four hits during seven innings. Freshman rightfielder Stewart Ijames collected four hits for the Cardinals, scored twice and knocked in one.

The Hoyas and Cardinals will finish their three-game set tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m. from Shirley Povich Field.