March 14, 2009

Box Score

Fairfax, Va. - The George Mason baseball team won its sixth-straight game on Saturday afternoon despite some wet weather and some cold bats. The Patriots used timely hitting to beat Lehigh, 5-2 and remain unbeaten at Spuhler Field this year. Mason is now 10-3 on the season while Lehigh fell to 3-13.

Mason starter Mike Modica allowed just one unearned run in seven innings with five hits and one walk and six strikeouts. He improved to 3-1 on the year and lowered his ERA to 3.75. Ryan Brecko picked up his fourth save of the year. Justin Bour and Shane Davis each had two hits and two RBI in the game while Chris Henderson added two hits and he and Scott Krieger have each reached base safely in all 12 games this year.

Mason got on the board first when the Patriots pushed across a run in the second. Shane Davis led off with a single to right and Dan Palumbo followed with a double down the leftfield line. Mark Hill was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Brent Weiss' sacrifice fly plated Davis.

In the top of the fifth, the Mountain Hawks tied the score when Billy Swenson singled, went to second on a wild pitch and scored on Billy Goldman's hit through the left side. But Mason wasted no time getting back on top as Scott Krieger drew a two-out walk in the bottom of the fifth and Justin Bour followed with his fourth home run of the year to make it 3-1.

The Patriots added insurance runs in the seventh when Spencer Wiggins was hit by a pitch, Chris Henderson doubled and Bour was intentionally walked to load the bases with one out. On a 3-2 pitch, Davis singled to right to make it a 5-1 contest. In the ninth, the Mountain Hawks got a double and two infield singles to make it 5-2 with two outs and that brought on Ryan Brecko who got his fourth save of the year by striking out Geoff Campbell.

Mason's last six-game winning streak came late in the 2006 season when the Patriots won at Temple, swept Hofstra at Spuhler Field then won at George Washington and Georgia State.

The Patriots and Mountain Hawks will conclude the three-game series on Sunday at 1 p.m.