March 26, 2010

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Fairfax, Va. - The George Mason baseball team hit a pair of grand slams in the bottom of the eighth putting 10 runs on the board to tie James Madison but the Dukes were able to strike for four home runs in the extra frame, taking a hard-fought 21-16 victory in 10 innings over the Patriots. It was the Colonial Athletic Association opener for Mason, which last year won the CAA regular-season title. James Madison, which was picked to win the CAA this year in the preseason poll of coaches is now 3-1 in conference play.

James Madison (10-10, 3-1) led 12-2 heading into the eighth with starter Kyle Hoffman on cruise control. But things got rocky right from the start of the inning. Shane Davis led off with a single down the leftfield line and Josh Steinberg brought him home with a double to right-center. After Dan Palumbo walked, Hoffman left the game bringing in David Edwards in relief. Nick Allen singled to load the bases and Brig Tison hit a one-out grand slam to make it 12-7. The rally continued as Ryan Soares was hit by a pitch and Mark Hill and Anthony Montefusco walked to load the bases. Kevin Munson, JMU's first-team All-CAA closer last year came on in relief and he walked Davis to make it 12-8. Steinberg followed with a home run to straight-away center to tie the score. Munson had entered the game having allowed just one earned run in 17.2 innings.

In the 10th, Trevor Knight led off with a homer and Matt Browning and David Herbeck followed with a single and a triple to make it 14-12. After a Matt Townsend walk, pinch hitter Billy Logan hit a three-run homer to clear the bases. Jake Lowery hit a solo homer later in the inning to make it a six-run inning and after Cole McInturff singled to left, Knight homered again to make it 20-12. Browning followed with a double and Herbeck added a single to make it a nine-run lead. Mason got a run in the ninth as Josh Steinberg walked, took second on a wild pitch, went to third on a deep fly ball and scored on an Allen double. Dan Schafferman singled and Tison walked to load the bases and Soares singled to drive in a pair. Mark Hill, followed with an RBI single to extend his hitting streak to 14 games. He had been 0 for 1 with four walks and a hit by pitch prior to that at-bat. Mason's hopes ended when Montefusco struck out.

Knight, Browning, Herbeck each had terrific games at the plate for the Dukes, as Browning was 6 for 7 with a homer, three doubles, five RBI and four runs scored while Herbeck was 4 for 6 with six RBI. Knight was 5 for 7 with three RBI and five runs scored. James Madison's starting one through four hitters were a combined 17 for 24 with 14 RBI and 15 runs scored. Steinberg was 2 for 2 with five RBI and three runs scored while Tison was 2 for 6 with four RBI. Davis added two hits and three runs while Allen and Soares each had three hits.

Browning put the first run on the board in the top of the first when he homered to left-center. Mason (11-6, 0-1) got the run back in the bottom of the inning as Haas and Soares singled and Hill and Montefusco drew one-out walks to make it 1-1. But the Patriots left the bases loaded as Davis lined out and Brett Hendricks struck out. In the third, the Dukes put three on the board despite having no one on with two outs. Knight singled and scored on a Browning double. Browning came home on a Herbek double and after a Townsend walk, Matt Tenaglia singled to make it 4-1.

Mason put the leadoff batter on in the bottom of the inning as Soares singled to left, but Hill grounded into a double play to keep it a three-run JMU lead. In the fourth, the Dukes knocked out Mason starter Kevin Crum (3-1), a first-team All-CAA pitcher and the Patriots' top starter this year. Lowery led off with a homer and Mike Fabiaschi singled before Johnny Bladel lined a ball off of Crum's pitching shoulder. That ended his day and brought on reliever Ryan Pfaeffle. He gave up an infield single to Knight and a double to Browning to make it 7-1. Herbek added a sacrifice fly for a seven-run lead.

In the sixth, James Madison added to its lead as Bladel led off with a double, Knight added a single and Browning made it 9-1 with a single to center. Herbeck's single up the middle brought home two more run s to make it a 10-run lead. Townsend and Langston walked to load the bases with one out and Lowery's sacrifice fly made it 12-1. Mason finally got back on the board in the bottom of the sixth but an ill-timed double-play ball limited the damage. Davis led off with a double, went to third on a passed ball and after Steinberg was hit by a pitch, Palumbo grounded into a double play to bring home Davis.

The Patriots return to action on Saturday when they host Madison in the second game of the series at Spuhler Field. Game time is 2 p.m. Ryan Brecko (1-0) is scheduled to start for Mason against D.J. Brown (1-1).