George Washington University Athletics
George Washington University
Towson
GW Baseball Storms Past Towson, 12-6
5/11/2011 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 11, 2011
TOWSON, MD- The George Washington baseball team scored five runs in the top of the first inning on the way to a 12-6 victory over Towson (25-22-1) on Wednesday afternoon at Schuerholz Park. The Colonials have now won two games in a row and four of their last five.
GW (16-33) opened the game by scoring five runs in the first inning. Freshman Owen Beightol led the game off by reaching base on an error and advanced to second on a single to left field by sophomore Kyle Gelling. After a Brendon Kelliher walk to load the bases, junior Jimmy Best singled to bring home two runs and give the Colonials a 2-0 lead.
After a sacrifice bunt by junior Brett Bowers, sophomore Tyler McCarthy extended the inning by reaching on an error which allowed Best to score from third base. Sophomores Justin Albright and Robbie Haben came through with consecutive RBI singles to give Colonial starter Joe Richardson a 5-0 lead.
Richardson worked a scoreless three innings before running into trouble and allowing four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. He did not allow a hit the rest of the day pitching six innings, allowing four earned runs with one walk and four strikeouts.
The Colonials bats got back to work in the fifth inning as Gelling led off the frame with a walk. He advanced to second on a wild pitch and to third on a ground out. Bowers then came to the plate and lined a 2-1 pitch over the left field fence to extend the lead to 7-4. It was Bowers' third home run of the season.
GW continued the offensive attack with three runs in the sixth. Albright led off the inning by being hit by a pitch. He stole second and advanced to third after Beightol's first hit of the day. With runners on first and third Gelling lifted a sacrifice fly to left field that scored Albright. Kelliher then came up and hit his team-leading 14th home run of the season, a towering drive over the left-center field fence, to extend the lead to 10-4. As of press time, Kelliher is tied with Xavier's Ben Thomas for the Atlantic 10 lead in home runs.
Bowers led off the seventh with a single to left field and later scored on a sacrifice fly by McCarthy to extend the lead to 11-4. In the bottom half of the seventh, sophomore Kenny O'Brien entered in relief and allowed just one hit over two innings.
The Colonials added a final run in the ninth inning on an error before giving way to Chris Keiper, who gave up two runs before clinching the 12-6 victory.
GW and Towson will meet again on Tuesday afternoon at Barcroft Park. The originally scheduled contest, on April 13, was postponed due to rain.
The Colonials will resume Atlantic 10 Conference play on Friday afternoon when they open a three-game series at Xavier. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 pm.
