Feb. 20, 2004

Box Score

MT. PLEASANT, S.C. - The George Mason University baseball team started its season on Friday afternoon and if the opener was any indication, it could be an exciting season for the Patriots.

With five runs in the first two innings and seven in the final three innings, the Patriots were able to overcome an 8-5 sixth-inning deficit to defeat Gardner-Webb, 12-8 at Mt. Pleasant, S.C. George Mason will take on Marshall University on Saturday afternoon, also at Mt. Pleasant. Stacen Gant is scheduled to make his first start of the year in that game.

Jeff Palumbo singled in the first at-bat of the season for the Patriots and after stealing second, he scored on a Chris Looze single up the middle. Nick Shimer doubled to bring home Looze and establish a 2-0 lead. It could have been bigger as the Patriots left the bases loaded as Jimmy Freund struck out to end the inning.

With one out in the second, Palumbo again singled and a hit by Bruce Baldwin put runners on the corners. Looze was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Shimer doubled to score a pair. Looze later scored on an error to make it 5-0.

Gardner-Webb was not out of it though, as the Bulldogs scored three times in the fifth and five times in the sixth, chasing starter Jake Glanzmann. Two walks, a hit batsman, and a wild pitch scored Gardner-Webb's first run and a double drove in two more. Glanzmann gave way to Josh Morrison, who after allowing hit, forced an inning-ending double play.

Morrison struggled in the sixth, allowing five runs on four hits, two walks and a balk. Despite his shakiness, he was allowed to finish the inning, and that ultimately allowed him to pick up the first win of the season.

Once again Palumbo got things going, this time with a leadoff single. Baldwin followed with a homer to cute the Bulldogs' lead to 8-7. Shimer drew a one-out walk, stole second and scored on a Chris Romanow single to center.

The bottom of the seventh saw the Patriots take the lead for good. Again it was Palumbo leading things off with a double down the right field line. Balwin singled him home for a 9-8 lead. The Patriots added three insurance runs in the eighth and Mike Puckli came in to pitch the ninth.

Glanzmann allowed three runs in four and one-third innings, surrendering just two hits while striking out two. He walked three, hit three and had one wild pitch. Morrison allowed five runs on six hits with two walks and three strikeouts in three and one-third innings. Brent Hitz pitched one-third of an inning before Puckli's one-hit scoreless ninth.

The big story, though, was the George Mason offense. Palumbo was 5 for 6 with five runs, one double and a steal. Baldwin was 4 for 6 with three runs and three RBI and the game's only home run. Looze was 1 for 4 with three RBI and two runs while Shimer was 2 for 4 with two doubles and three RBI. The top four batters in the order had 12 of George Mason's 15 hits.