HARRISONBURG, Va. – George Mason collected a season-high 16 hits and every player in the starting lineup reached base at least once on Wednesday in the Patriots 16-5 win over James Madison at Veterans Memorial Park.
After a scoreless first inning, Mason (6-15) took the lead in the top of the second. Freshman Greg Popatak II crushed the first pitch he saw from Dukes starter Daniel Pinson and belted his second home run of the season, a towering blast into the wind and over the right field fence to give Mason a 1-0 advantage. Popatak has driven in five runs and scored nine times in his last seven games.
The Patriots increased the lead over James Madison (9-12) in the top of the third. With one out, sophomore Michael Smith doubled into the left field corner, stole third and then scored on a throwing error by the catcher to make the score 2-0. Smith has reached safely in six of his last seven games and has scored five times in his last five games.
Mason took command of the game in the fourth. Garett Driscoll singled, Timothy Turner walked and Trevor Kelly was hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs. Freshman Jonathan Hansen drove in a run with a RBI groundout, with Driscoll crossing the plate to make it 3-0. Turner raced home on a wild pitch for a 4-0 lead and Smith then hit a ground-rule double to center field with Hansen scoring and it was quickly 5-0. Mason has built a 5-0 lead in each of the last two road games.
JMU dented the scoreboard in the home half of the fourth. With runners on first and second and one out, senior Tyler Carroll drove in his fourth run of the season to make it 5-1. Sophomore Ryan Ricci was able to retire the next two batters as the Dukes stranded two runners on base.
The Patriots, playing for the first time this season on an artificial surface, sent eight batters to the plate in the top of the fifth to break the game open. Senior Kent Blackstone singled and Driscoll was hit by a pitch to start the rally. Sophomore Frank Sturek, classmate Trevor Kelly and Turner each singled and drove in a run in the inning, with the Patriots scoring four runs on four hits to add to the lead 9-1.
With one out in the sixth, Mason loaded the bases for a third straight inning and batted around, scoring five more runs on three hits, two walks and a hit batter. Blackstone and Driscoll both walked and Popatak singled to put Patriots on every base. Turner then drove in his second run in as many innings with a RBI single with Blackstone cruising in from third to make it 10-1. After Sturek was hit by a pitch to force in another run, Hansen provided the big hit in the inning with a bases-clearing triple to right-center and Mason had built a 14-1 lead. The Patriots have batted around in an inning five times in the last six games.
JMU also batted around in the sixth and used two triples and two singles to score three runs against freshman right-hander Jonathan Ostroff to make the score 14-4. Freshman Brian Marconi entered the game with the bases full of Dukes and struck out senior Kyle Weston to end the threat.
Mason added a run in the eighth when Kelly led off with a double and after making his way to third, eventually scored on a pass ball to give the Patriots a 15-4 lead under the lights at Eagle Field. Turner tacked on another run with a RBI double in the ninth, with Popatak scoring his fourth run of the night to make the score 16-5. Mason scored at least one run in every inning except the first and the seventh.
The Patriots went 6-for-20 with runners in scoring position while JMU went 3-for-16 with runners in scoring position. Both teams combined to strand 22 runners on base (JMU 13, Mason 9). The Dukes had won four of their last six home games.
Mason used eight pitchers in the game and James Madison six. Junior Tyler Kardas (1-0) allowed two hits, walked two and struck out two over two innings in his first start of the season to earn the win. He also picked up a victory over James Madison last season at Spuhler Field. Freshman Zach Mort struck out two in the ninth and was the only Mason pitcher to retire the side in order in the game.
Turner went 3-for-5 with three RBI and three runs scored. Popatak finished 3-for-5 with a homer and scored four times. He has two home runs in his last seven games. Kelly was 3-for-5, drove in a run and scored twice. Hansen drove in four runs for the second straight game for the Patriots.
The Patriots notched their first road win of the season. Mason has scored 32 runs in the last two road games. Six players drove in at least one run against JMU and eight players crossed the plate at least once for the Patriots, who finished the game with 16 hits, six for extra bases.
Mason returns to Spuhler Field on Friday, March 25 to begin Atlantic 10 Conference play with a three-game series against Rhode Island.
