April 12, 2003

Box Score

FAIRFAX, VA ... Sophomore Chris Looze was 4-5 with a home run and three runs batted in to lead George Mason to a 13-3 victory over Hofstra in the first game, then the Patriots scored seven unearned runs in the sixth inning to rally for an 11-8 victory in the second game of a Colonial Athletic Association doubleheader Saturday at Raymond H. "Hap" Spuhler Field.

George Mason has won eight straight games and 15 of its last 19 contests as it improved to 19-10 overall, 6-1 in the CAA. Hofstra saw its losing streak extend to four games as it fell to 5-21 overall, 2-6 in the CAA.

The Patriots have scored in double figures in nine of their last 13 games, and they have scored 98 runs and pounded out 106 hits in their last eight contests. Mason also improved to 15-3 at Spuhler Field this season.

Looze led George Mason's 16-hit attack in the first game as he extended his hitting streak to 11 games. Junior Bruce Baldwin added three hits in Game 1 while junior Nick Shimer (four RBI) and freshman Nick Prosise (three RBI) each added two.

Mason scored four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, three coming on Shimer's second home run of the season, and added two more in the fifth as Looze and Shimer drove in runs. The Patriots made the score 11-1 with five runs in the seventh as Looze hit his seventh homer, a solo shot, and Prosise added a two-run triple, and Looze and Prosise drove in the final two runs in the eighth.

Meanwhile, Patriot senior starter Chris Murray (3-3) was handling the Hofstra lineup. After working out of a bases-loaded jam in the second and allowing a leadoff double in the third to sophomore Josh Stewart (2-5), Murray retired the next 11 batters before freshman J.P. Wechter (2-5) hit a two-out single in the sixth. When Wechter scored on a single by freshman Ricky Caputo, it ended a streak of 22 2/3 scoreless innings for Murray, who allowed one run, seven hits, two walks and struck out seven over 7 2/3 innings.

Freshman Josh Stern and senior Tom Brown drove in the Pride's final two runs in the ninth. Senior starter Marc Acierno (0-3) took the loss as he allowed eight hits and six runs in five innings.

Hofstra's bats got hot in the second game, however, as the Pride knocked out a season-high 17 hits. Hofstra scored single runs in the first two innings as Wechter (4-5 in Game 2) drove in a run with a double in the first and Caputo (2-4) scored on a wild pitch in the second for a 2-0 lead, but Mason rallied with four runs in the bottom of the second, three on a double by junior Jeff Palumbo (2-3, 5 RBI) to put the Patriots in front.

The Pride, however, scored an unearned run in the third and took a 6-4 lead with three runs in the fifth. Junior Mike Perullo, Caputo and freshman Steven Oliveri (2-3) each had run-scoring hits in the frame, and Hofstra pushed the margin to 7-4 in the sixth as Brown hit a sacrifice fly. But the Patriots rallied with seven unearned runs in the bottom of the sixth, with a two-out error allowing the first run to score. Palumbo tied the game with a two-run single and three more hits brought home four more runs for an 11-7 lead. The Pride added a final run in the seventh on Stern's single.

Freshman reliever Mike Puckli (2-0) picked up the win for Mason, while junior Ryan Cosentino (1-4) was the tough-luck loser for Hofstra. Cosentino allowed six hits and just four earned runs (10 total) while walking five and striking out six in 5 2/3 innings. Stewart added three hits for the Pride, while senior Ed Cook had two.

George Mason and Hofstra conclude their three-game series Sunday at 1 p.m.