April 10, 2003
Box Score
FAIRFAX, VA ... George Mason scored eight early runs, then held off a late George Washington rally to defeat the Colonials, 10-9, in a non-conference college baseball game Thursday afternoon at Raymond H. "Hap" Spuhler Field.
The win was the sixth straight and the 13th in the last 17 games for George Mason as it improved to 17-10 overall. The Patriots scored in double figures for the seventh time in their last 11 games, and they have scored 74 runs and pounded out 82 hits in their last six contests. George Washington had a three-game win streak snapped as it fell to 19-8.
Mason scored four runs in each of the third and fourth innings to take an 8-0 lead. Junior Nick Shimer had a key two-run double in the third to get things started, and junior Bruce Baldwin (2-3, 3 RBI) had a two-run single in the fourth.
The Colonials, however, got back into the game with four runs in the top of the fifth and two more in the sixth to cut the lead to 8-6. Sophomore Brad Rosenblat had a two-run double to spark the fifth inning, and sophomore Anthony Raglani (2-5) hit his second home run, a two-run shot, in the sixth. But Mason would score what proved to be two insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth as junior Jeff Palumbo (2-5) hit a two-run homer, his first of the year, to give the Patriots a 10-6 advantage.
Those runs proved crucial in the ninth as George Washington scored three unearned runs. Senior Travis Crowder (3-4) led off with a single, freshman Tom Shanley (2-4) reached on an error and both advanced on a wild pitch before a pair of strikeouts. Sophomore Ryan Roberson (3-5) drove in both runners with a single up the middle, then Raglani reached on another error prior to senior Tony Dokoupil's (2-5) single to drive in Roberson, making the score 10-9. Freshman pinch-hitter Matt Owens drew a walk to load the bases, but sophomore Geoff Milsom grounded out to end the game.
Senior Travis Hardman (2-1), the first of five Patriot pitchers, picked up the win for George Mason as he allowed seven hits and four runs while walking two and striking out six over the first five innings. Sophomore Nate CasaGrande (3-2), the first of six Colonials hurlers, took the loss as he allowed four runs and five hits over 2 2/3 innings.
Senior Evan Howard and sophomore Jimmy Freund each added two hits for the Patriots, while senior Chris Barry added two hits for the Colonials.
George Mason hosts Hofstra this weekend in a three-game Colonial Athletic Association series at Spuhler Field. The Patriots (4-1 CAA) and Pride (5-19, 2-4 CAA) meet Friday at 3 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.
