April 29, 2004

Box Score

Fairfax, Va. (April 29, 2004)-George Mason University defeated Navy 12-11 in non-conference action at Spuhler Field in Faifax, Va today. The Patriots improve to 29-11, while Navy, playing in its last regular season game, ended their season, 14-36.

The Midshipmen scored five runs in the third inning to jump out to a 6-2 lead on the Patriots and starter Jake Glanzmann. With one out and bases loaded, Jared Munde homered to left field, his first career grand slam, second home run. Navy scored five runs on four hits in the inning.

Mason responded in the home half of the inning, scoring four runs on five hits and stranding one runner to tie the game at six apiece. Bruce Baldwin led off the inning with a solo home run, his fourth homer of the season. Jeff Palumbo singled and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Matt Cooksey. Chris Looze came to the plate and knocked in two of his five RBI on the day with a two-run shot over right center field. Adam Innerst singled to left field. Nick Shimer popped out and Innerst stole the base to advance to second. Robby Jacobsen singled, scoring Innerst. Chris Romanow ended the inning on a ground out.

The Patriots got eight hits and scored six runs in three innings off starting pitcher B. Nichols. The Naval Academy sent Andy Froistad to the mound to start the fourth. George Mason continued to get hits, adding two runs in the fourth inning on two hits to take an 8-6 lead.

In the fifth and sixth innings, the Midshipmen got one run on one hit in each of the innings. Chris Ashinhurst started the fifth inning with a single and advanced to second on a fielder's choice. He then proceeded to third base on a wild pitch from Glanzmann. He eventually scored on a J.P. Temperilli single to right field. Glanzmann struck out the next two batters to end the inning. In the sixth, Trevor Thompson started the inning with a walk and advanced to second and then third on fielder's choices. He scored on a Craig Candeto double down the left field line.

George Mason got its ninth run in the fifth inning as Shimer started the inning with a double to left center. Jacobsen grounded out, but advanced the runner to third. Matt Barrett grounded out to the second baseman. Shimer scored on a wild pitch by Froistad.

The Patriots sent Jeff Dinwoodie to the mound in the seventh inning and the Naval Academy would get their last three runs of the game off two hits and one error. McGinn singled to lead off the inning. Curnow walked and both players advanced and the bases were loaded when J. Munde hit toward the left side of the infield and pitcher Dinwoodie attempted to throw out Curnow at second and didn't beat the runner. The Midshipmen would leave one on base to end the inning.

George Mason would score one run in each of the final three innings. In the seventh, Shimer scored after getting on base with a single and one out. Jacobsen doubled to left field advancing Shimer to third. He would score when M. Barrett hit a sacrifice fly to right field. In the eight, Looze doubled to left center to scored Palumbo, who hit a one-out single.

In the ninth, Shimer doubled to lead off the inning and would advance to third on a passed ball. Jacobsen and Barrett were intentionally walked to load the bases. Freund singled through the left side to score Shimmer and end the game.

George Mason batters on the day got 17 hits at the plate. Palumbo and Shimer each extended their hitting streaks to 14 games. Mason used four pitchers on the mound today with Jason Mills picking up the win to improve his record to 2-2 on the season. He pitched the ninth inning with two strikeouts.

The Patriots have won 15 of the last 17 games and will play at Towson in a three-game conference series this weekend.