April 27, 2004

The latest NCAA Division I statistical baseball standings were released on Tuesday and the Patriots remained strong both individually and as a team.

Collectively, George Mason is now ranked among the top 30 in the nation in key hitting and pitching categories. The Patriots' 8.7 runs per game is 12th best in the nation and their .324 batting average is 17th best. In addition, the team's 3.68 ERA is 30th best. The Patriots' winning percentage of .711 is 32nd in the country and their fielding percentage, .965, is 66th out of 285 schools.

Individually, five Patriots are ranked in the top 30, paced by Jeff Palumbo, whose 1.39 runs per game is third best in the nation. He is also second in the CAA in that category, trailing national leader Chris Rahl of William & Mary, who is scoring 1.49 runs per game. Offensively, Palumbo is joined by Nick Shimer, Adam Innerst and Chris Looze. Shimer is 21st in the nation in home runs per game, with .34 per contest, and Innerst and Looze are 24th and 26th, respectively, in RBI per game, with 1.32 and 1.29.

Stacen Gant, the George Mason ace, has shown that he is one of the nation's elite pitchers. He is 8-0 and those eight wins are good for 12th in the nation. He also has a 1.87 ERA which puts him at 21st in the country. He is one of 10 pitchers in NCAA Division I to rank among the top 30 in ERA and wins. Twice he left games this year with a lead only to see the bullpen unable to hold on for the win. If the bullpen had done its part, Gant would be 10-0 and tied for second in the nation in wins.

The Patriots will be looking to improve their numbers five times this week. They travel to Bethesda, Md. to take on Georgetown on Tuesday, they host Navy on Thursday and they travel to Towson for a three-game series this weekend, with games on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.