March 30, 2005

Box Score

The George Mason baseball team used hot bats at the top of the order and strong situational hitting throughout the lineup to score 16 runs in the first five innings and rout Georgetown, 18-4. Mason's first five hitters were a combined 10 for 17 with 11 RBI and 13 runs as Mason improved to 16-6 on the year. Georgetown got all four of its RBI from Mark McLaughlin as the Hoyas fell to 14-12.

McLaughlin led off the game with a solo home run down the right field line, giving the Hoyas a 1-0 lead. It was Georgetown's only lead of the day. Matt York led off the Mason half of the first with a solo home run to left to tie the game at 1-1. Matt Cooksey followed with a walk, stole second and third, and scored on a Chris Fournier one-out single to center. Robby Jacobsen doubled to put two runners in scoring position and Fournier came across on Adam Innerst's ground out.

Mason added four more runs in the second. Tyler Youngs drew a one-out walk and went to second on a fielder's choice. Cooksey walked and Chris Looze doubled the pair home to make it 5-1.Fournier then followed with his third home run of the season and a six-run Mason lead. The Hoyas cut into the lead in McLaughlin's next at-bat as he doubled to left to score Brandon Davis, who led off the inning with a double to right. But Mason quickly grew the lead with four in the fourth and five in the fifth.

Mason's four runs in the fourth came on five hits. Youngs doubled to lead things off and York's infield single put runners on the corners. Cooksey singled to make it 8-2 and Looze was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Fournier's sacrifice fly brought home York and Robby Jacobsen's RBI single made it 10-2. Innerst singled to plate Looze, making it a nine-run lead.

Once again the Hoyas were able to score some runs behind McLaughlin. The sophomore hit a two-run homer in the fifth, scoring Danny Gronski, who had singled two batters earlier. The Patriots responded immediately, though, making it a double-digit lead. They scored five runs in the fifth behind just one hit. York and Cooksey walked to lead off the inning and Fournier was hit by a pitch with one out to load the bases. Robby Jacobsen's fielder's choice brought home York and a walk to Innerst once again loaded the bases. Matt Barrett followed with the inning's lone hit, a grand slam home run to left, his second homer of the year.

The Patriots added lone runs in the sixth and eighth as the Patriots finished the game with 15 hits. Fournier was 3 for 4 with 4 RBI, Jacobsen was 3 or 4 with 2 RBI, Looze was 1 for 3 with 3 RBI and Innerst was 2 for 4 with 3 RBI. McLaughlin led Georgetown with a 5 for 5 afternoon. The rest of the Hoyas combined for just three hits.

Josh Morrison earned the win for Mason, improving to 2-1 on the year. He allowed four runs in six innings. Jared Petrovich, J.J. Pannell and Jason Mills each pitched scoreless innings in relief. Travis Danysh took the loss, dropping to 1-2. He allowed 11 runs in three and one-third innings.

Mason is in action again on Saturday when it plays a doubleheader at Longwood. Georgetown returns to Big East action when it hosts Villanova this weekend, with a doubleheader on Saturday.