BASEBALL (8-17, 1-2 A-10) at SAINT LOUIS (12-13, 3-0 A-10)
WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday, Apr. 1; 3 p.m. Saturday, Apr. 2; 1 p.m. Sunday Apr. 3 (All Times EST)
WHERE: Billiken Sports Center
LAST MEETING: Mason won two of three against Saint Louis Apr. 25-27, 2014 at Spuhler Field
LIVE STATS: Click Here
RADIO: GoMason Digital Network
ST. LOUIS, Mo. – The George Mason baseball team travels to Saint Louis for an important Atlantic 10 Conference matchup against the first place Billikens. The three-game series begins Friday, April 1 at the Billiken Sports Center.
Mason (8-17, 1-2) has won three of its last five games, two by a single run, including a 2-1 win over Georgetown last time out. The Patriots are 5-4 in one-run games this season with all five wins at Spuhler Field.
Junior Tyler Kardas allowed no runs and just two singles over 5.0 innings to earn his second win of the season in his second start. Freshman Zach Mort retired the final five batters of the game to pick up his second save of the season.
Mason relievers have allowed just two runs on eight hits in 12.0 innings of work in the last four games.
“When you are coming out of the bullpen, your job is to pick the next guy up no matter what gets left for you,” said head coach Bill Brown. “It's great to see some other guys getting on board also and that bodes well for the future.”
Sophomore Brady Acker leads the Patriots batting .352 with two home runs and 10 RBI. He has played 14 games this season. Senior Brandon Gum is hitting .304 with a homer and four RBI in his 11 games and freshman Ryan Tassone is batting .264 with nine RBI.
Mason was limited to nine runs on 19 hits during the recent four-game homestand, but look to continue a trend of crossing the plate on the road with a trip to the Gateway City. In their last two road games the Patriots have scored 32 runs, 16 at VMI March 16 and 16 at James Madison March 23, on 33 hits.
In those two games, 11 of the Patriots 33 hits went for extra bases including three homers, a triple and seven doubles.
“We seem to hit a lot better on the road so hopefully that phase of the game will kick in,” Brown said of the run production on the road. “Timely hitting, it comes and it goes, let's hope this weekend in St. Louis it's on.”
Mason didn't face Saint Louis last season. In the last meeting, the Patriots scored 14 runs and allowed just seven, taking two of the three games in the series against the Billikens Apr. 25-27, 2014 at Spuhler Field. The Patriots earned a 2-1 win in 13 innings in the first game and took the series finale 9-2.
SCOUTING SAINT LOUIS
Saint Louis (12-13, 3-0) finished first in the Atlantic 10 Conference last season with a 16-8 record, one game ahead of Richmond and Rhode Island. The Billikens were picked to finish in the top spot again this season, receiving seven of the 13 first-place votes in the preseason poll.
The Billikens are 8-1 at home this season. Butler handed Saint Louis an 8-6 loss March 19. The Billikens have scored 56 runs at home and crossed the plate at least five times in seven of the nine games.
Five players have started every game for Saint Louis. Senior Braxton Martinez is batting .313 with three home runs and 17 RBI in 25 games. Sophomore Parker Sniatynski is hitting .300 with two homers and 13 RBI and senior Josh Bunselmeyer leads the Billikens with six home runs and 28 RBI in 25 games.
Saint Louis is tied atop the A-10 standings with VCU after sweeping three games at Dayton last weekend. The Billikens scored 17 runs and allowed just six against the Flyers.
PROBABLE STARTERS
Friday, April 1:
George Mason: RHP Tyler Zombro (1-4, 5.30)
Saint Louis: RHP Matt Eckelman (4-2, 4.37)
Saturday, April 2:
George Mason: LHP Joe Williams (0-3, 4.42)
Saint Louis: RHP Miller Hogan (2-3, 5.40)
Sunday, April 3:
George Mason: LHP Brian Marconi (0-2, 5.93)
Saint Louis: LHP Devin Mahoney (1-0, 2.25
