After losing its first four games and five of its first six contests, the GW baseball team appeared headed for a poor season.

The Colonials have turned things around, however, winning eight of their last 10 games, including four of their five games last week. GW improved to 10-8 on the season.

“We’re swinging the bats and playing a lot better defense than we were earlier in the year,” GW Coach Tom Walter said.

The Colonials first league games, a three-game series with Virginia Tech scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, were rained out and will be played at a later date.

GW 8, VMI 4GW scored six runs in the final two innings to come from behind and defeat Virginia Military Institute in an eight-inning game March 18 in Lexington, Va.

The Colonials trailed 4-2 after six innings, but scored three runs in the top of the seventh to take the lead. GW plated three more runs in the eighth inning off VMI pitchers Josh Spradlin and Ryan Mitchell to take an 8-4 lead.

The game was suspended after the eighth inning because of darkness and was scheduled to be completed the next day. However, rain prevented the teams from playing the ninth inning the following day.

Ari Zagaris shut out VMI over the final two innings to earn his second save of the season. Clint Sells (1-0) was the winning pitcher for GW, allowing four runs on three hits in six innings.

Mike Roberts and Joe Beichert continued to be two of the team’s hottest hitters. Roberts collected two hits and scored three runs, while Joe Beichert had three hits and three RBIs. Beichert was named A-10 Player of the Week

VMI 9, GW 3VMI scored five runs in the second inning off GW starter Scott Shirley and snapped the Colonials’ five-game winning streak with a 9-3 victory March 17 in Lexington, Va.

GW took the lead with a two-run home run by Beichert in the top of the first inning, but VMI hit Shirley hard over the next three innings. The freshman right-hander yielded eight runs, all earned, on eight hits in only three innings. VMI led 8-3 after four innings.

GW 16, Fairfield 15GW scored two runs in its final at bat and won its fifth straight game in a wild contest at Barcroft Field March 14.

The win, the second game of a March 14 doubleheader, completed a three-game sweep of Fairfield University. The teams combined for 31 runs, 36 hits and seven errors.

GW led 14-6 after five innings, but Fairfield scored eight runs in the sixth inning to tie the game and took a 15-14 lead with a run in the seventh. But the Colonials’ two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning won the game for pitcher Rollie Corden, who pitched the final inning for GW.

Ryan Dacey, Cassedy Smith and Chris Matarese all had two home runs for GW.

GW 7, Fairfield 0Junior left-hander Tom Baginski pitched a three-hit shutout in the first game of a doubleheader at Barcroft Field March 14.

Baginski struck out eight Fairfield batters and walked none, improving his record to 1-2.

Beichert had two hits for GW, including his seventh home run of the season. Adam Belicic also homered and scored two runs. Belicic was named A-10 Rookie of the Week.