April 29, 2006
Box Score
The George Mason baseball team got another sterling pitching performance on Saturday, this time from senior Brent Hitz, and Mason got timely hits from Matt York and Casey Slattery as the Patriots downed Hofstra, 5-2 in Colonial Athletic Association action.
Hitz (4-5) went eight innings, allowing just two hits and one walk, striking out four and giving up one earned run. He lowered his ERA from 5.34 entering the game to 4.86 after the game. York was 3 for 4 with a solo homer and Slattery was 1 for 3 with two RBI. Mason was able to capitalize on three Hofstra errors as two of Mason's runs were unearned.
The runs weren't as forthcoming on Saturday as they had been in the series opener. The first Mason run came in the first when Spencer Wiggins was hit by a pitch, stole second and scored on York's single when leftfielder Dave Cole overran the ball. Hofstra (18-26-1, 8-15) tied the score in the third on Josh Stern's solo homer that just cleared the fence in left field. York made certain the game didn't stay tied for long as he responded with a homer to right field that had less clearance than Stern's shot.
The score remained 2-1 until the sixth when Mason (17-26, 10-13) rallied for three runs, knocking starter Will Devito from the game. Robby Jacobsen led off the frame with a double and York followed with a single to put runners on the corners. With one-out Slattery singled to left against a drawn-in infield to plate Jacobsen and York. A Mike Genovese walk advanced the runners and both moved up on a wild pitch by reliever Anthony Sarno. On the play, catcher Steve Oliveri's throw to second sailed into the outfield allowing Slattery to score for a 5-1 lead.
The rest of the game was uneventful until the ninth when Jordan Flasher struck out the first batter he faced before taking a line drive from Patrick Rogers off his left elbow. He left the game and Phil Stone came on to get the final two outs. Hofstra's final run came in the inning as Rogers, who was safe after his ball hit Flasher, went to second on a ground out and scored on Ricky Caputo's double down the rightfield line.
Devito (1-7) took the loss, giving up five runs, three earned, on six hits and no walks in five and one-third innings of work. He did strike out five batters. Sarno pitched the final two and two-third innings, walking four but allowing no hits.
The two teams will play again on Sunday with game time slated for 1 p.m. It will be Mason's 500th game at Spuhler Field.
