George Washington University

May 24, 2006

Box Score

BRONX, NY - George Washington University senior RHP Josh Wilkie (Alpharetta, GA) tossed a complete game three-hitter to lead the sixth-seeded Colonials to a 3-1 victory against fourth-seeded Charlotte and stave off elimination Wednesday evening on the first day of action at the 2006 Atlantic 10 Championship at Jack Coffey Field at Fordham's Houlihan Park. Third-seeded Dayton knocked off the Colonials, 2-0, in the second game of the tournament to pit GW (23-33) against the 49ers, who dropped a 3-1 decision to fifth-seeded Saint Louis in the opening contest of the championship.

With the win, GW will either face Saint Louis or the loser of second-seeded St. Bonaventure vs. Dayton at 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 25. If the Billikens defeat top-seeded Rhode Island then the Colonials face either the Bonnies or Flyers. If URI prevails, the Colonials will meet SLU.

Wilkie retired 11 straight batters following an RBI single in the fifth, until issuing a walk to second baseman Cory Lane with one out in the ninth. Left fielder Taylor O'Brien represented the tying run at the plate, but Wilkie was able to get the ground ball he needed and the Colonials turned a 6-4-3 double play to seal the win and knock the 49ers out of the championship in their first year as a member of the A-10.

Wilkie (5-5) allowed just three hits and one unearned run in earning the complete-game win. It was his 25th career victory which moved him into third all-time at GW and his five K's propelled him into second on the all-time strikeout list.

The Colonials scored all three of their runs in the second inning. Sophomore Andrew Abokhair (Ashburn, VA) delivered a one-out double, the first extra base-hit of the day by any team, and senior Matt Owens (Fayetteville, GA) followed with an infield single to put runners at the corner.

After Owens moved to second on a wild pitch, shortstop Michael Parker (Newton, MA) sent a ground ball to third which went between the legs of third baseman Aaron Bray and under the glove of left fielder O'Brien to allow both Abokhair and Owens to score to make it 2-0. Parker advanced all the way to third on the two-error play and later scored on a wild pitch to complete the scoring for GW.

In the first game, Dayton scored both its runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. Colonials' starter Derrik Lutz (Grantville, PA), who had allowed just three hits through the first seven innings, walked the first two batters in the frame. First baseman Craig Rohren then dropped a sacrifice bunt to move the runners to second and third, and an RBI single off the bat of third baseman Joe McSoley gave the Flyers a 1-0 lead.

Freshman Pat Lehman (Fairlawn, NJ) came on to relieve Lutz after 136 pitches, but surrendered a single to the first batter he faced which allowed catcher William Benoit to score from third for the final margin.

Lutz pitched his way in-and-out of jams the entire game until the seventh inning. Although he finished with seven walks, Lutz (6-4) managed to hold the Flyers hitless until one out in the fifth as Dayton stranded six runners on base over the first four innings, including runners in scoring position in the opening three frames. He lasted 7.1 innings allowing two earned runs on four hits with five strikeouts.

The Colonials received singles from their lead-off hitters in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, respectively, but failed to produce a run each time.

GW had its best scoring chance in the fourth when second baseman Bryan Hwang (Northvale, NJ) led off the inning with a single and senior Tom Shanley (Stanfordville, NY) followed with a single of his own one batter later to put runners at first and second with one out. A wild pitch moved the runners to second and third, but Dayton starter Luke Trubee retired the final two batters to escape unscathed.

Trubee (9-6) earned the complete-game shutout victory for the Flyers surrendering five hits while striking out six with just a single walk.