George Washington University Athletics
George Washington University
<b>DELAWARE STATE</b>
George Washington Draws Even with Delaware State, 7-7
4/18/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 18, 2007
ARLINGTON, VA - George Washington (13-23-1) battled back all game long to force a 10th inning, but in the end, could manage no better than a 7-7 draw with Delaware State (17-15-2) Wednesday afternoon at Barcroft Park, as darkness forced the conclusion after four hours of play.
For GW, it was their first game that ended in a tie since 1995, when they played Towson to a 7-7 final. It was just their 12th tie since 1953.
Delaware State jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the second inning. Right fielder Eric Allen led-off with a home run, his team-leading seventh of the season. The Hornets then loaded the bases on three straight walks before recording back-to-back singles into center to plate another two runs.
GW fought back in their half of the second. With Chris Marsicano (Old Tappan, NJ/Bergen Catholic) standing on second, Gavin Swanson (Reisterstown, MD/Calvert Hall College) blasted a home run (6) deep to center field to draw the Colonials within one run.
The two teams exchanged runs in the third innings. The Hornets pushed across an unearned run on a groundout to first base and the Colonials answered with a Curtis Eward (Oak Hill, VA/Oakton) sacrifice-fly that scored second baseman Bryan Hwang (Northvale, NJ/Northern Valley-Old Tappan).
The visiting Hornets plated another two runs in the fourth, on back-to-back sacrifice flies, to take a 6-3 lead. The Colonials once again battled back in the bottom half. Gavin Swanson led-off with a walk and then advanced to third on Whitey Wallace's (Syracuse, NY/Phillips Exeter Academy) double down the left-field line. After two GW outs, Michael Parker (Newton, MA/Newton South) singled into right-center to score both Swanson and Wallace, making it 6-5 in favor of Delaware State after four innings.
GW tied the game in the bottom of the fifth. With the bases loaded, Mickey Shupin (Sea Girt, NJ/Wall) singled up the middle to the second baseman to drive in Eward for just his seventh RBI of the season.
Ryan Lapointe (Somersworth, NH/Phillips Exeter Academy) entered the game in the third inning and dominated for 5 1/3 innings, striking out a career-high nine batters. The freshman allowed just three hits and three runs, only one of which was earned.
In the top of the eighth, Delaware State took the lead, scoring on a RBI-single to center field. GW responded in their half of the frame and managed to tie the game at seven runs each. With Michael Parker standing on second, Curtis Eward singled to the third baseman. Parker never stopped running and came all the way around to score as the throw from first was errant. Eward took second on the throw, and then advanced to third, as the catcher's throw to second sailed into center field.
Delaware State threatened in the ninth, but with runners on second and third and two outs, GW pitcher Derek Haese (Littleton, CO/Dakota Ridge) got the strike out to end the inning. In all, the Colonials' pitchers recorded a season-high 14 strikeouts. The previous high was 13, set at Delaware State (Mar. 20).
Both teams went three-up, three-down in the 10th inning, before the game was ruled official.
George Washington will travel to Saint Joseph's (6-25, 3-9 A-10) this weekend for a three-game Atlantic 10 Conference series, beginning Friday at 3:00 p.m.
Game Notes: Gavin Swanson's home run was his first since Mar. 31, against Richmond ... in the two games against Delaware State this season, Swanson was 4-for-7 with two home runs, five RBI, three runs scored and two walks ... in 19 innings pitched against the Hornets, Colonial pitchers tallied 27 strikeouts ... the Colonials are now 3-4-1 in extra-inning games this season.
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