May 14, 2003

FAIRFAX, VA ... Heading into the final weekend of the regular season, the George Mason baseball team is ranked in the Top 15 for the ninth consecutive week in the Northeast Coaches Poll conducted by CollegeBaseballInsider.com.

George Mason is ranked 12th in the latest Northeast weekly poll, announced May 13, in which coaches from the Colonial Athletic Association, the Atlantic 10 Conference, the Big East Conference, the America East Conference, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and the Northeast Conference are allowed to vote. Mason was ranked 11th last week after reaching a season high of No. 10 on April 22 and 29. The Patriots entered the Top 15 poll for the first time on March 18 at No. 13.

George Mason (27-18, 9-8 in the CAA) resumes play after 10 days off for exams as it plays four games at Raymond H. "Hap" Spuhler Field to conclude its regular season. Mason hosts Liberty Thursday at 3 p.m. before entertaining William & Mary in the final CAA series of the season. The Patriots and Tribe (30-17, 12-4 CAA) meet Friday at 3 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.

Mason has won a school-record 11 straight games at home and has a 19-3 mark at Spuhler Field this season. The Patriots are one win shy of tying the standard for most wins at home set by the 1987 team, which had a 20-6 record at Spuhler Field.

Patriot head coach Bill Brown also is nearing a milestone as he needs two victories to reach 600 for his career. The third-youngest coach (at age 45) in the nation with more than 550 victories at the NCAA Division I level, Brown has a mark of 598-551-5 in his 22nd season at George Mason.