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 George Washington's Jake Wald makes the tag on Navy's Neil Brubeck at third base after being caught in a run down in the second inning during the NCAA Baseball Regionals. |
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Baseball Eliminated by Navy, 6-4, in NCAA Sub-Regional
June 1, 2002
WINSTON-SALEM, NC - GW had the tying runs on base in the top of the ninth inning with it's most productive hitter at the plate, but it was not meant to be as Navy hurler Steve Goocey got Mike Bassett to swing and miss on a 2-2 pitch to end the game, the careers of seven GW seniors and GW's historic season with a 42-23 record.
In the top of the first, the Colonials plated their first run. Senior Mike Bassett (Paramus, NJ/Paramus) singled through the right side to score junior Tony Dokoupil (Severna Park, MD/Severna Park), who had singled to left centerfield.
The Midshipmen (23-24) responded with one run in the bottom of the first. Chris Ashinhurst singled up the middle to score Pete Curnow, who had doubled off the leftfield wall. Navy added two more runs, one in the bottom of the third, followed by another in the fourth. The Midshipmen's first run was scored on a fielder's choice off the bat of Ashinhurst that allowed David Woolsey to score. Brad Hager then homered over the leftfield wall to score Navy's third run.
GW came back in the top of the fifth with two runs to tie the game at three. Navy starter Matt Foster walked graduate student Nick Iovacchini (Asheville, NC/Asheville) who later scored on a wild pitch. With two outs sophomore Jeff Fertitta (Baltimore, MD/Loyola Blakefield) stroked a triple to left centerfield, scoring junior Jake Wald (Alexandria, VA/T.C. Williams) who had singled to left field.
Navy did not allow the tie to last for long, scoring three runs in the bottom of the fifth off GW starter Jason Baker (Accokeek, MD/DeMatha). Ashinhurst hit an RBI single up the middle to drive in Curnow and then scored on Craig Candeto's blast over the left centerfield wall. Senior Mike O'Connor (Ellicott City, MD/Mt. St. Joseph's) relieved Baker to end the inning by striking out Hager.
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The score remained unchanged for the next three innings when, in the top of the ninth, the Colonials plated one run for the final margin. Navy reliever Zach Poelma hit Iovacchini with a pitch to start the inning and followed with a walk of Brown. Bryan Koehler quickly relieved Poelma to force pinch hitter Travis Crowder (Manassas, VA/Osbourn) to ground out to third unassisted. Iovacchini then managed to score on Wald's ground out to shortstop. With Brown on second, Koehler walked Fertitta to put the Colonials in position to take over the lead. The Midshipmen called on lefthander Steve Goocey to face Bassett. A fresh Goocey ended the Colonials' hope for a rally by striking out Bassett for the final out of the game.
Foster (4-1) earned the win after pitching 7.1 innings, allowing eight hits and three earned runs while fanning seven Colonials. Baker (5-7) received the loss after pitching 4.2 innings and giving up six earned runs on nine hits while striking out one.
