Hoyas Drop Tough One at Butler, 3-2, in 13 Innings

Matt Smith gave up just one earned run in seven innings while striking out five.

WASHINGTON - Butler University scored a run with two outs in the bottom of the 13th inning to defeat the Georgetown University baseball team, 3-2, on Friday afternoon in a BIG EAST Conference game at Bulldog Park. With the loss, GU fell to 18-21 and 3-4 in the BIG EAST, while Butler improved to 11-27 and 2-5 in conference play.

Matt Smith (Cranberry Twp., Pa./Seneca Valley) started on the mound and was strong through seven innings, giving up two runs, one earned, on five hits while striking out five. Tim Davis (Vienna, Va./James Madison HS) pitched 3.1 innings in relief, allowing just one hit and one walk while registering three strikeouts. David Ellingson (The Woodlands, Texas/The Woodlands College Park) allowed one run on one hit in 2.1 innings.

Michael DeRenzi (Mendham, N.J./Seton Hall Prep) had two hits and scored two runs to lead the
offense. Charlie Dillon (Chicago, Ill./Berkshire School/Catholic) also had two hits while Joseph Bialkowski (Raleigh, N.C./Needham B. Broughton) and Jake Kuzbel (Ashburn, Va./Stone Ridge) each had RBI base hits.

The Hoyas jumped on the board right away in the top of the first. DeRenzi singled with one out and moved to second on a ground out by Kuzbel. Bialkowski then delivered a two-out RBI single to left, giving GU an early 1-0 lead.

Georgetown doubled its lead to 2-0, starting its rally with two outs. DeRenzi again got things started with a single. He stole second and took third when the throw from the catcher was wild. Kuzbel drove him in with a single into right field.

Butler tied the game with a solo home run and unearned run in the bottom of the fourth inning.
The Hoyas stranded the go-ahead run at third in both the ninth and 11th innings. In the ninth, Eric Webber (Stockton, Calif./Saint Mary's) reached on an error with two outs and went to third on a wild pitch, but was left there. Dillon led off the top of the 11th with a double into the left-center gap and went to third with one out on a sacrifice bunt by Jake Bernstein (Frederick, Md./Saint John's College HS). However, GU could not lift a fly ball to drive him home.

In the bottom of the 13th, a walk and hit-by-pitch put two Butler runners on with one out. Both runners advanced on a double steal as Ellingson registered a strikeout for the second out. Ellingson quickly put the next batter in a 0-2 hole, but an RBI single ended the game.

The two teams will resume their series on Saturday (today) with a 1 p.m. game. Simon Mathews (West Haven, Conn./Hopkins School/Temple) will start on the mound for the Blue & Gray. Live stats will be available at www.guhoyas.com.

Notes
The game was delayed for an hour with one out in the bottom of the second inning due to weather ... Friday was Davis' 90th career appearance for the Hoyas and he now needs just six more to set the program record for pitching appearances ... Friday was Matt Smith's 46th career start and he needs just three more to set the program record for career starts ... Before the game-winning RBI single, the Georgetown bullpen had gone 10.2 innings of shutout relief over the past two games, allowing just two hits.