Bullpen closes out 1-run win over UPike

Embedded in a tough start to the 2025 season are a slew of 1-run losses for Georgetown Baseball. The Tigers played another tight game on Tuesday against UPike but were able to breakthrough and take the down Bears, 5-4.

Bryson Huwar got the start for Georgetown to lead a bullpen day on the mound. Huwar sailed through the front 2, only surrendering a walk. The offense had a chance for an early lead in the bottom of the 2nd. WIth 2 out, Elijah Verge reached on a UPike error. Payton Rios, playing for the 1st time since February 7th, lofted a single to right to move Verge to 2nd. The rally ended there as Jacob VonThaden popped up to 1st to end the inning.

The 3rd inning proved the tough point for Huwar on the mound. After a leadoff strikeout, Huwar walked the next batter and hit the following. A wild pitch came next to move the runners to 2nd & 3rd. The Bears then found a single to left to drive home a run for the lead and end Huwar's day on the mound. Nathan Beaven came on in relief. A sac fly brought home a 2nd run, followed by a 3rd on an Aidan Jbara error at first. It gave UPike a 3-0 lead heading to the bottom of the 3rd.

Georgetown came right back. Davis Johnson led off and reached via another UPike error. Peyton Young bunted Johnson to 2nd. Two batters later, Jose Cazorla singled to center to bring Johnson home and get the Tigers on the board. Aidan Jbara then stepped up and atoned for his error in the top of the inning. He smashed a ball into right center that got all the way to the wall. Cazorla came in to score and Jbara motored to 3rd with a triple as the Tigers got back within 1 heading to the 4th.

UPike threatned in the top of the 4th. With 1 out, Beaven walked 2 in a row and was lifted for Dillon Bland, who worked his way out of the jam with no runs in. Georgetown took advantage in the bottom of the inning. With 1 out, Payton Rios singled to right. Jacob VonThaden then roped a ball down the left field line for a double that put Rios on 3rd. Davis Johnson then shot a fly ball to center that scored Rios to tie the game at 3 heading to the 5th.

UPike came right back to retake a lead. A leadoff single got it going. Bland then fired a wild pitch, then committed a balk to move the runner to 3rd. A single followed to give the Bears a 4-3 lead. Bland retired the next batter and was then pulled for Beau Becker, who finished the inning. Georgetown looked for the answer in the bottom of the 5th. With 1 out, Jose Cazorla doubled to left center. Two batters later, Nolan Smith drew a walk. Ball 4 was a wild pitch and allowed Cazorla to get to 3rd. The rally ended on a pickoff as Smith could not keep his foot on 1st base and was called out to end the inning.

Beau Becker returned to the mound for the 6th and took down the Bears in order. The offense saw its chance. Diondre Jacob led off with an infield single. Payton Rios followed and got on with an error that allowed Jacob to go all the way to 3rd. Jacob VonThaden then laced a single to left center to score Jacob and tie the game at 4. With 1 out and the bases loaded, Jarrett Chapman sent a ball to center that was more than deep enough to score Rios and give Georgetown a 5-4 lead heading to the 7th.

Becker quickly retired the 1st 2 batters of the 7th and then put himself in a jam. Becker gave up a single and then hit the next batter to put the tying run in scoring position. The righty stayed poised and induced a weak grounder to 1st to retire the side. Becker gave way to Braxton Burse for the top of the 8th. Burse produced a grounder and strikeout to start the inning. He then hit a batter and gave up a single as the Bears again had the tying run at 2nd. Burse was lifted was the Tigers went to lefty David Edwards out of the pen. Edwards made quick work of his 1st batter, getting a fly ball to center to end the inning. Georgetown had a simliar chance in the bottom of the 8th but also stranded runners at 1st & 2nd.

Edwards came back on in the 9th, looking for the 4-out save. The leadoff batter flied out to center. The next batter did the same. UPike's last chance resulted in a weak grounder to 2nd to close out a much-needed win.

Beau Becker picked up the win after going 2.1 innings and allowing just 1 hit. David Edwards picked up his first save by retiring the final 4 batters of the game.

The Tigers will look to use the win as a boost back into MSC play on Friday when they travel to Campbellsville. Game 1 is on Friday at 2:00pm followed by a Saturday doubleheader.