Cougars best Tigers in midweek matchup

Georgetown traveled north to take on IU Kokomo in a midweek matchup. The Cougars jumped out to an early lead and never looked back in a 13-3, 7-inning win.

The Tigers went with a bullpen day on the mound and gave the ball to Mason Mortimer to start. With 1 out in the bottom of the 1st, the Cougars strung 3 straight hits together to push a run across. A groundout brought a 2nd run home for a 2-0 lead after 1.

Georgetown had a chance in the top of the 2nd to do its own damage. Aidan Jbara led off with a single to center. He moved to 2nd on a groundout. Elijah Verge then reached on an error to put a 2nd run on base. A walk by Avery Bowens loaded the bases for Luis Sosa, but the Tiger 2nd baseman came up empty as he went down on strikes, leaving the bases loaded. Kokomo took advantage in the bottom of the 2nd. With 1 out, the Cougars singled twice in a row, spelling the end of the day for Mortimer on the mound. Nathan Beaven took over and gave up a single to left that scored both runs for a 4-0 IUK lead. Later in the inning, Beaven gave up another 2-run single to give the Cougars a 6-0 lead after 2.

The Tigers again threatened in the top of the 3rd. With 2 out, Payton Rios singled to center and stole 2nd. Aidan Jbara followed with an infield single to 3rd. As the throw went to 1st, Rios made the turn for home but was gunned down at the plate to end the inning. Ashton Deskins came on to pitch the bottom of the 3rd and retired the IUK side in order.

The 4th inning proved the breaking point for both teams. In the top of the inning, Georgetown got a 2-out walk from Jacob VonThaden, who was lifted for Braden Shepherd on the basepaths. Avery Bowens singled to left to move Shepherd to 2nd. Luis Sosa came up with another chance for runs but grounded out to 3rd to end the inning. The Cougars then went to work on Deskins. A leadoff walk was followed by an RBI triple 2 batters later for a 7-0 lead. Deskins then fired a wild pitch to allow an 8th run to score. After getting the 2nd out via a strikeout, Deskins gave up 3 straight hits, scoring 2 runs for a 10-0 IUK lead. Another walk and 2-RBI single made it a 12-0 game after 4.

The score stayed the same until the 7th, where Georgetown needed at least 3 runs to avoid the mercy rule. Henry Cruz pinch-hit to start the inning and singled to right. He moved to 2nd after Peyton Young was hit by a pitch. Jarrett Chapman followed with a double down the left field line that scored Cruz and moved Young to 3rd. With 1 out, Aidan Jbara singled to left to score Young and moved Chapman to 3rd. Hunter Hampton then stepped in and reached with a fielder's choice to score Chapman and make it a 12-3 game.

The runs forced IUK to bat in the bottom of the 7th against Branson Carson. The inning did not last long. Carson walked the 1st batter he faced, followed by 3 straight hit batters to force the winning run across the plate and end the game.

Georgetown will look to regroup this weekend when Cumberland comes to Robert N. Wilson Field for a 3-game series, starting Friday afternoon.