Saturday, May 11
Arlington, VA
1 p.m.
George Washington University
28-22, 11-9
3
vs
2
Massachusetts
22-25, 11-9
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Massachusetts
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
2
5
1
George Washington
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
1
X
3
9
0
Baseball Tops UMass on Senior Day
5/11/2024 5:52:00 PM | Baseball
WASHINGTON – Behind a solid day from Michael Foltz on the mound, the George Washington baseball team captured a 3-2 victory over UMass on Senior Day. The win moves GW to 28-22 overall and 11-9 in the Atlantic 10.
Unlike yesterday's series-opener, the bats were quiet for both teams to start thanks to solid pitching from both starters. Foltz, who was honored pregame along with the other seven senior members of GW's program, held UMass to just two hits through the first 2.2 innings of the game. In the third, the Minutemen tallied the first run of the contest off a hit-and-run double that scored the UMass baserunner from first base.
An inning later in the fourth, GW got its first run of the game courtesy of Ellis Schwartz's RBI double to right field. Scoring on the play was Brett Young to tie the game at one apiece. In the fifth, GW grabbed its first advantage of the game when Nick Mullen took the first pitch of the inning over the left field wall for his second home run of the season. Mullen's long ball gave GW a 2-1 advantage, the team's first lead of the game.
After the Minutemen got the run back to tie the game at two in the sixth, Foltz shut down any hope of a UMass' lead with a spotless seventh inning. Foltz's day ended there with seven solid innings pitched, six strikeouts and two earned runs on four hits. The seven innings pitched tied Foltz's season-long for a single game, doing so on four separate occasions.
Robbie O'Connor, Umass' starter in the contest, also tossed seven strong innings, allowing just two earned runs in the no-decision. Then in the bottom of the eighth, Young greeted the new UMass' pitcher with a single to left field to open the frame. Following Young's leadoff single, Robby Wacker advanced him to second off a groundout to the first basemen. That was all Schwartz needed to come up clutch again, rocketing an RBI single to right center field and scoring the run that would eventually prove to be the game-winner.
GW's work wasn't done there, with a runner on first and one out in the ninth, reliever Benny Wilson got UMass' hitter to ground into a phenomenal 4-6-3 double play to end the contest and deliver GW the 3-2 win. Moving to his left, second baseman McGwire Tuffy scooped the ball and quickly turned to deliver the force out at second base to Mullen. Mullen then fired the ball back to first to get the runner by half a step and end the contest. Wilson earned the win for GW, moving him to 1-1 on the season.
Not only was the Senior Day victory significant for the players, it was also a monumental win for Head Coach Gregg Ritchie, his 300th win with the program. Ritchie became the program's all-time wins leader as head coach earlier this season and now adds to his impressive resume with his 300th win in the Buff & Blue.
Prior to the Senior Day festivities, Young and Brandon Siegenthaler were also awarded the team's "I Got Your Back" award. The honor is bestowed upon the players who show significant leadership and persistence throughout the season. Recipients are those who come up clutch when their teammates need it most and are reliable in even the most adverse moments.
GW looks for the sweep tomorrow at 12:00 p.m. in the final home contest for the Revolutionaries this season. The game will also serve as Youth Day at Tucker Field with kids 12 and under receiving admission for just $5. Kids in attendance will also be eligible to run the bases postgame and join an exclusive autograph session with GW players and coaches. Live coverage of the contest will be aired on ESPN+.
Unlike yesterday's series-opener, the bats were quiet for both teams to start thanks to solid pitching from both starters. Foltz, who was honored pregame along with the other seven senior members of GW's program, held UMass to just two hits through the first 2.2 innings of the game. In the third, the Minutemen tallied the first run of the contest off a hit-and-run double that scored the UMass baserunner from first base.
An inning later in the fourth, GW got its first run of the game courtesy of Ellis Schwartz's RBI double to right field. Scoring on the play was Brett Young to tie the game at one apiece. In the fifth, GW grabbed its first advantage of the game when Nick Mullen took the first pitch of the inning over the left field wall for his second home run of the season. Mullen's long ball gave GW a 2-1 advantage, the team's first lead of the game.
After the Minutemen got the run back to tie the game at two in the sixth, Foltz shut down any hope of a UMass' lead with a spotless seventh inning. Foltz's day ended there with seven solid innings pitched, six strikeouts and two earned runs on four hits. The seven innings pitched tied Foltz's season-long for a single game, doing so on four separate occasions.
Robbie O'Connor, Umass' starter in the contest, also tossed seven strong innings, allowing just two earned runs in the no-decision. Then in the bottom of the eighth, Young greeted the new UMass' pitcher with a single to left field to open the frame. Following Young's leadoff single, Robby Wacker advanced him to second off a groundout to the first basemen. That was all Schwartz needed to come up clutch again, rocketing an RBI single to right center field and scoring the run that would eventually prove to be the game-winner.
GW's work wasn't done there, with a runner on first and one out in the ninth, reliever Benny Wilson got UMass' hitter to ground into a phenomenal 4-6-3 double play to end the contest and deliver GW the 3-2 win. Moving to his left, second baseman McGwire Tuffy scooped the ball and quickly turned to deliver the force out at second base to Mullen. Mullen then fired the ball back to first to get the runner by half a step and end the contest. Wilson earned the win for GW, moving him to 1-1 on the season.
Not only was the Senior Day victory significant for the players, it was also a monumental win for Head Coach Gregg Ritchie, his 300th win with the program. Ritchie became the program's all-time wins leader as head coach earlier this season and now adds to his impressive resume with his 300th win in the Buff & Blue.
Prior to the Senior Day festivities, Young and Brandon Siegenthaler were also awarded the team's "I Got Your Back" award. The honor is bestowed upon the players who show significant leadership and persistence throughout the season. Recipients are those who come up clutch when their teammates need it most and are reliable in even the most adverse moments.
GW looks for the sweep tomorrow at 12:00 p.m. in the final home contest for the Revolutionaries this season. The game will also serve as Youth Day at Tucker Field with kids 12 and under receiving admission for just $5. Kids in attendance will also be eligible to run the bases postgame and join an exclusive autograph session with GW players and coaches. Live coverage of the contest will be aired on ESPN+.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Wilson, Benny (1-1)
L: Given, Zack (1-1)
Batting:
2B: Travisano, Matt 1
HR: Burgess, Austin 1
RBI: Burgess, Austin 1 ; Travisano, Matt 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Burgess, Austin 2
HBP: Skagerlind, K 1
Batting:
2B: Gates, Sam 1 ; Schwartz, Ellis 1
HR: Mullen, Nick 1
RBI: Schwartz, Ellis 2 ; Mullen, Nick 1
SH: Wacker, Robby 1 ; Schwartz, Ellis 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Young, Brett 2 ; Mullen, Nick 1
SB: DiTomaso, Steve 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
2
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
LHP
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INF
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RHP
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INF
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INF
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RHP
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INF
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