Beast of the East
John Burke
Friars,
That was a huge win against UCLA on Tuesday! Our patience at the plate was impressive. Taking pitches and drawing walks in the 5th inning helped spark the come-from-behind rally. Those types of wins are the muscle-memory needed for the tourney! That being said, we are set up nicely to snag a crucial 2-seed in pod play. But first, we must conquer the “Beast of the East”.
As we head into the triple header, we have some admin notes:
- All games are on Field 5 at West Potomac Park. Games are this Sat, July 12 at 0930 (Georgetown), 1045 (Villanova), and 1200 (Xavier). If able, please arrive by 0900. We want to be ready for first pitch promptly at 0930.
- It’s going to be hot and humid (high of 87). Mr. and Mrs. Burke are bringing the tent, so we will have some shade.
- Lawn chairs, blankets, sunscreen, and sunglasses are all good ideas. It’s going to be a long day.
- Thank you to Allison for pushing out the picnic spreadsheet on WhatsApp. If you haven’t signed up for goodies, please do so.
- For those who haven’t played in a Big East triple header, you’re in for a real treat!
If you’re still reading this email and want to know more about the Big East squads, see below.
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Georgetown (6-3)
Wins: Vanderbilt, Yale, American, Texas, Connecticut, North Carolina
Losses: George Mason, Illinois (see below), Dayton (see below)
Notes: After starting out the season with a 5-1 record, Georgetown entered a double header against Dayton and Illinois on June 27 with an opportunity to go 7-1. They won both games, but their coach later discovered that they used illegal lineups (played two male varsity players at the same time) and self-reported the error to the league. This resulted in forfeiture of both games, dropping them to 5-3. Georgetown followed up with a solid win against North Carolina, defeating them 10-1 on July 7. Georgetown’s bread and butter is its defense. They give up 6.0 runs per game, which is 5th best in CAN. They can score, too. Their 13.3 runs per game is good for 11th in the league. And if you exclude the 7-0 scores for the forfeits, their offensive/defensive stats get even better. This will be a battle.
Villanova (5-4)
Wins: Air Force, Michigan St, Maryland, Ohio St, Navy
Losses: Georgia Tech, Penn St, Pittsburgh, Delaware
Notes: Villanova started out the season red hot, going 4-0. Since then, they’ve cooled off, going 1-4 in their last 5 games. Two of those defeats include a 7-run loss to Penn State (12-0) and a 5-run loss to Pittsburgh (9-1). Villanova is a balanced team. They score 13.1 runs per game (14th in CAN) and surrender 10.6 runs per game (22nd in CAN).
Xavier (2-4)
Wins: Air Force, Navy
Losses: Penn St, Maryland, Colorado, Michigan St
Notes: Much like Providence, Xavier has had a tough schedule so far. They were an extra-innings-game away from being 3-3, losing to Michigan St by a run in 8 innings on June 28. Xavier scores 7.0 runs per game (39th in CAN) and allows 12.8 runs per game (31st in CAN).
Providence (4-5)
Wins: Auburn, Florida, North Carolina, UCLA
Losses: Northwestern, Catholic, Boston College, UMASS, Tulane
Notes: Providence’s 4-game losing streak came against teams that are now a combined 28-10. During that skid, Providence was outscored 76-33. In its other 5 games, going 4-1, the club outscored its opponents 70-51. Overall, Providence scores 11.4 runs per game (22nd in CAN) and allows 14.1 runs per game (35th in CAN).
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Can’t wait for Saturday! Let’s play tough, play smart, be patient, and get some wins!
Love,
Paddy and Burke