May 1, 2003
Box Score
ARLINGTON, VA ... George Mason scored three runs in the top of the eighth inning to defeat George Washington, 4-2, in a non-conference college baseball game Thursday afternoon at Barcroft Park.
George Mason improved to 27-15 overall, while George Washington had an 11-game win streak snapped as it fell to 30-12.
The game was scoreless through six innings as George Mason senior Travis Hardman and George Washington sophomore Nate CasaGrande hooked up in a classic pitcher's duel. Both allowed just three hits through six innings, with Hardman walking one and striking out six.
Patriot senior Evan Howard broke up the shutout with a solo home run, his fifth of the year, with one out in the top of the seventh. The home run was the first ever at Barcroft Park for Howard, a native of Arlington who played many games through several levels of youth baseball and in the Clark Griffith Collegiate Baseball League at the field.
Freshman Eric Gibbons relieved Hardman in the seventh and allowed a pair of unearned runs as the Colonials took a 2-1 lead. Sophomore Ryan Roberson hit a one-out double and scored after senior Chris Barry singled to left and the ball was misplayed for an error. Barry, who went to second on the error, stole third and scored on another error on the play.
Mason, however, came right back to regain the lead in the top of the eighth. Freshman Nick Prosise (3-4) led off with a single and was sacrificed to second by sophomore Jimmy Freund. Sophomore Matt Cooksey tied the game with a run-scoring single and went to second on the throw home, then moved to third on a groundout. He scored on an infield single by junior Bruce Baldwin for a 3-2 lead, and sophomore Chris Looze doubled to drive in Baldwin with an insurance run.
Meanwhile, Gibbons retired the last eight Colonials he faced, allowing two hits and striking out four in three innings as he improved to 2-0. Sophomore Avi Rasowsky (4-1) took the loss for GW.
George Mason travels to Richmond to meet Virginia Commonwealth in a three-game Colonial Athletic Association series this weekend. The Patriots (9-5 in the CAA) and the Rams (34-11, 14-3 CAA) meet in a doubleheader Sunday at 6 p.m. and a single game Monday at 1 p.m. at The Diamond.
