May 14, 2009

Box Score

Harrisonburg, Va. - Thursday started pretty well for George Mason junior catcher Chris Henderson as he found out he was selected as a semifinalist for both the Howser Trophy as college baseball's player of the year and the Bench Award as college baseball's top catcher. The day got even better when he finally took the field. Henderson had five RBI, his 13th home run of the season, and he threw out a pair of base runners as he sparked the 27th-ranked Mason baseball team to a 10-6 victory at James Madison.

Mason improved to 39-9 on the year, tying the Division I school record for wins and improving on its winning percentage, which is tops in the nation. The Patriots are now 18-4 in the Colonial Athletic Association. Henderson had three hits and pushed his season average to .436. Ryan Soares had three hits and two RBI and Kevin Crum picked up the win for the Patriots. The junior, who is now 8-3, came into the game having walked just 14 batters in 68 and two-thirds innings. He struggled with his control, however, walking a season-high five and hitting one in six innings. James Madison fell to 29-23, 11-10. Chris Johnson and Trevor Knight had two hits and three RBI each while David Herbek had three hits

The Patriots got on the board in the second on a Shane Davis solo homer and in the third, Mason made it 2-0 when Ryan Uphouse led off with double, went to third on a Spencer Wiggins ground out and scored on a Henderson ground out. Crum ran into trouble in the bottom of the third, though, and the Dukes took advantage by taking the lead.

With one out, McKinnon Langston walked, Alex Foltz singled and Knight homered to left, putting JMU ahead 3-2. Mason was lucky to limit the damage as Matt Townsend walked, Dave Herbek singled and Mike Fabiaschi singled to load the bases, but Crum got a ground out to end the threat and keep it a one-run game.

The Patriots were able to retake the lead in the fifth when Spencer Wiggins singled with two outs and Henderson followed with a home run to leftfield. In the sixth, Justin Bour led off with a walk and Soares followed with a home run to left-center to make it 6-3. After a pair of quick outs, Mason mounted a rally as Brent Weiss singled and Uphouse and Wiggins walked to set the table for Henderson, who drove in two runs with a single to left-center.

Mason added insurance runs in the seventh. Soares reached on a one-out single and Davis was hit by a pitch, prompting the Dukes to switch pitchers bringing on Josh Futter. Against the first batter he faced, Hill there was a passed ball and a wild pitch to make it 9-3 and after Hill walked, Weiss reached on an error that brought home Davis to make it 10-3.

Herbek and Fabiaschi walked to lead off the eighth and with two outs, Johnson homered off reliever Ryan Brecko to make it 10-6. Shawn Griffith came on in relief to get the final four outs and seal the win.

Mason and James Madison will continue the three game series on Friday with first pitch scheduled for 3 p.m.