George Washington University Athletics
GW Baseball Rolls Into Post Season Play
5/24/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 24, 2005
DAYTON, OH - After winning nine of its final 11 Atlantic 10 Conference games, the George Washington University baseball team (39-17, 17-7 A-10) secured its sixth straight tournament berth and second consecutive A-10 West Division title, earning the second-seed in the A-10 Tournament scheduled for May 25-28 in Dayton, OH.
The Colonials will begin tournament play Thursday, May 26, against the winner of the first round match up between Fordham and Richmond.
GW has met four of the five other tournament teams during the regular season and went 8-4 in those games. The Colonials dropped two of three contests in its A-10 season opening series against Rhode Island, won two of three against Richmond and Duquesne, and swept three games against Dayton. GW did not meet Fordham during the regular season.
A-10 Player of the Year candidates Brad Rosenblat (New Orleans, LA / Newman / Tulane) and Ryan Roberson (Silver Spring, MD / James H. Blake) each posted triple-crown like numbers all season as both seniors finished either first, second or third in a number of offensive categories including hits, as the two players tied for first (74) in the conference.
Rosenblat also finished first in home runs (17), RBIs (56), runs (64), doubles (18), stolen bases (20), and was second in slugging percentage (.721).
Roberson led the A-10 in hitting (.416), on base percentage (.483), slugging percentage (.747) and was third in home runs (15).
GW will also bring the arms to the tournament as starters RHP Derrik Lutz (Grantville, PA / Lower Dauphin) (8-0, 2.30 ERA) and RHP Josh Wilkie (Alpharetta, GA / Chattahoochee) (7-3, 3.18 ERA) are a combined 8-0 with a 1.78 ERA during the season's final 20 games.
Freshman RHP Joel Brookens (Fayetteville, PA / Gettysburg Area) has emerged as the Colonials' closer this year, leading the conference with nine saves and 28 appearances. Brookens also saved all three Colonial wins in the last week of the regular season, including the Division clincher at Temple on Thursday, to earn A-10 Rookie of the Week honors.
The tournament will be held in Fifth Third Field, home of the Dayton Dragons (a Cincinnati Reds' Single A affiliate).
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