Chapman's grand slam propels Tigers to split on Senior Day

After an opening loss on Senior Day to Freed-Hardeman, Georgetown was determined to close out the regular season on a positive note. It took until a 5th-inning explosion, led by a Jarrett Chapman grand slam, but the Tigers got the job done via a 12-4 win in the home finale.

Freed-Hardeman scored a run in the top of the 1st off Tiger starter, Chris Lenocker. The offense got the run back in the bottom of the 2nd. Garrett Thurman doubled to right center to lead off and moved to 3rd on a wild pitch. With 2 out, Elijah Verge reached via a hit-by-pitch. Verge then took off for 2nd. The throw from the FHU catcher bounced away and allowed Thurman to scamper home from 3rd to tie the game. The lead was shortlived as Lenocker gave up a long, solo homer in the top of the 3rd.

The action picked back up in the top of the 5th. Lenocker retired the first 2 batters, then hit the next. He was lifted for reliever, David Edwards. A flyball to center was mishandled, allowing runners to go to 2nd and 3rd. Edwards then walked the next batter to load the bases, then walked another to force a run home for a 3-1 FHU lead. On the next at-bat, Edwards turned back to 2nd and got the Lion runner in a rundown, but it lasted long enough for the runner from home to score before the tag was applied. It gave FHU a 4-1 lead heading to the turning point in the bottom of the 5th.

Jarrett Chapman led off with a walk, moved to 2nd on a sac bunt, then to 3rd on a wild pitch. He then came home on an RBI single from Jose Cazorla. Garrett Thurman and Aidan Jbara each reached to load the bases. Sam Turilli followed with a bloop single to shallow center to score Cazorla and cut the deficit to 4-3. Jacob VonThaden then hit a grounder to 3rd, but the throw to first got away, allowing Thurman and Jbara to come home to give the Tigers a 5-4 lead. Luis Sosa was then hit by a pitch to load the bases, setting the stage for the biggest play of the game. Jarrett Chapman stepped in and smashed a grand slam clear over the left field wall to cap an 8-run explosion and give Georgetown a 9-4 lead.

The Tigers played add-on in the bottom of the 6th. Jose Cazorla and Garrett Thurman singled to start. Aidan Jbara then hit a chopper up the middle and beat the throw down the line to load the bases with no out. Sam Turilli singled again to center to move everyone up 90 feet and send Cazorla home. A wild pitch followed to bring Thurman home from 3rd for an 11-4 lead. 2 batters later, Jacob VonThaden lofted a sacrifice fly to center to bring Jbara home for the 12th run of the game.

Beau Becker and Mason Mortimer combined for a scoreless final 3 innings in relief to close out the win. Five Tigers recorded multiple hits in the game to help earn the split. David Edwards picked up his 1st win of the season.

Georgetown now focuses on the opening round of the Mid-South Conference Tournament. The Tigers take on Lindsey Wilson in a single-elimination game on Tuesday. First pitch from Bowling Green is set for 5:30pm.