April 15, 2005
The George Mason baseball team will take the field against Hofstra looking to snap a three-game CAA losing streak as Mason hosts the Pride in a three-game series. Friday's game begins at 3 p.m., Saturday's at 2 p.m. and Sunday's at 1 p.m.
The Patriots are in the midst of a nine-game home stand but have started the stretch 1-3 after being swept by UNC Wilmington. In Hofstra, Mason faces a team it has never lost to in nine meetings.
Mason hitters enter the game with a .312 batting average powered by Matt Cooksey, who is hitting .393 with 36 runs. Cooksey has stolen 22 of 23 bases and has a .532 on-base percentage. He became Mason's all-time leader in stolen bases when he swiped four against Richmond on Tuesday. He was already Mason's all-time leader in walks and strikeouts. He also scored four runs against Richmond. Prior to that game, he was 16th in the nation in runs per game and ninth in steals per game. His position in those standings is sure to rise this week.
Catcher Robby Jacobsen has been having his finest season as a Patriot, batting .360 with a .613 slugging percentage. He didn't commit an error in the season's first 24 games and he is currently fielding .991. Matt York is batting .363, Tyler Youngs is hitting .341 and Chris Fournier and Adam Innerst are both batting better than .300. Chris Looze is hitting .292 and leads the Patriots in home runs (6) and RBI (35). He became Mason's all-time leader in RBI when he drove in four runs against Richmond. Looze is 47th in the nation in RBI per game.
Eric Gibbons returns to the rotation on Friday. The junior lefthander is 3-2 on the year. Stacen Gant takes the mound on Saturday in the midst of another eye-popping season. He needs one win to tie the school record for wins in a career. He currently has 22 wins. He already holds the school record for strikeouts and winning percentage and is second all-time in ERA. He is 6-1 this year with a 2.49 ERA.
Brent Hitz gets the nod on Sunday. He is 3-2 with a 3.11 ERA and he has struck out 35 batters while walking just eight in 46-plus innings.
The Patriots will face starters David Huth (1-3, 6.42 ERA), Will DeVito (4-3, 4.25 ERA) and Ryann Dunn (2-3, 7.26 ERA). As a group, Pride pitchers have a 7.10 ERA and are allowing the opposition to bat .318 against them.
Hofstra's most dangerous hitter is Josh Stern, who is batting .348 with 26 RBI, both team highs. Josh Stewart is hitting .347 with 13 steals and a .431 on-base percentage. Ricky Caputo leads the Pride with four home runs and a .550 slugging percentage. Hofstra, as a team, is batting .300.
