George Mason University Athletics

Baseball Stays Perfect, Again Using Strong Pitching, Long Ball

George Mason Athletics Baseball 2/21/2009 12:00:00 AM

Feb. 21, 2009

Spartanburg, S.C. - The George Mason baseball team got its third straight excellent start on the mound, and Mason once again used the long ball to great effect as the Patriots swept a doubleheader from UNC Asheville and improved to 3-0 on the season. Mason beat the Bulldogs 6-2 behind Dan Gerjets' seven innings on the mound and home runs from Scott Krieger and Justin Bour.

Krieger and Bour were each 2 for 5 with two RBI and two runs while Spencer Wiggins, Chris Henderson, Ryan Soares and Mark Hill each had two hits. Gerjets allowed just one earned run on seven hits with no walks and five strikeouts in seven innings. Jordan Flasher pitched a perfect ninth, his first appearance since the season-opener in 2008 when he suffered an elbow injury that ended his season.

In the top of the first Mason wasted no time taking an early lead. Chris Henderson singled and Krieger tripled to drive him home for a 1-0 lead. That hit moved Krieger into first all-time at Mason in total bases. A Bour groundout followed to bring home Krieger for a 2-0 lead.

In the bottom of the second Reed Kreiser reached on a bunt single to third and went to second on Mark Hill's throwing error. Kreiser moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on Austin Graham's infield hit. In the bottom of the third, Catlin Carter and Justin Schumer hit back-to-back singles to put runners on the corners and Beau Zinman brought home the game-tying run with a sacrifice fly.

Mason retook the lead in the fourth when Krieger led off with a home run, the 50th of his career. Bour singled and Soares reached on a fielder's choice with Bour safe on a throwing error. Josh Steinberg followed with a two-run double for a 5-2 lead. In the sixth, Bour hit a solo homer to make it a 6-2 game.

This is just the third time in Division I school history that Mason has opened a season 3-0. The Patriots started 1999 with a 4-0 mark and 2004 with a 5-0 record. The Patriots will conclude their weekend series on Sunday when they face Southern Illinois-Edwardsville at 11 a.m.

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