BASEBALL (13-27, 2-10 A-10) vs. NAVY (33-11-1, 12-4 Patriot League)
WHEN: 3 p.m. Wednesday, Apr. 27
WHERE: Spuhler Field
LAST MEETING: Mason scored eight unanswered runs for an 8-6 win over Navy Apr. 11, 2012.
LIVE STATS: GoMason.com
RADIO: GoMason Digital Network
FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason baseball team returns to the diamond at Spuhler field on Wednesday for the first of a five-game homestand, hosting Navy in a non-conference matchup, with the first pitch scheduled for 3 p.m.
Mason (13-27, 2-10 A-10) went 2-1 last weekend at Radford, winning a series for the first time this season, including sweeping a doubleheader against the Highlanders last Saturday. In the first game, junior Tyler Zombro tossed a complete-game two-hitter and struck out nine without a walk in a 2-0 win. He earned Atlantic 10 Co-Pitcher of the week honors for his effort.
The Patriots collected a total of 32 hits in the three-game series last weekend. Freshman Jonathan Hansen went 6-for-12 with two doubles and drove in four runs. Sophomore Trevor Kelly finished last weekend 6-for-13 with four RBIs and three runs scored and freshman Greg Popatak II was 7-for-12 with two RBIs and five runs scored.
Popatak is hitting .281 with two home runs and 11 RBIs on the season. Hansen is batting .272 and has driven in 15 runs. Kelly is hitting .253 with 11 RBIs and eight of his 25 hits this season have been doubles. Senior Kent Blackstone has a .252 average and leads the team in RBIs (26) and extra-base hits (16).
Mason pitchers have had the chance to take the hill with the lead, with the Patriots scoring the first run in each of the last six games.
At Spuhler Field the Patriots have had a power surge, hitting a home run in each of the last three games at “The Hap”. Sophomore Garett Driscoll left the yard against James Madison and Dayton, while sophomore Tyler Nelin also hit a home run against the Flyers.
Mason has won five of its last eight games at Spuhler Field and is 10-13 overall at home this season.
The last two times that Mason and Navy were scheduled to play, the games were postponed.
SCOUTING REPORT
Navy (33-11-1, 12-4 Patriot League) completed a four-game sweep over Army in Annapolis, Md. last weekend, taking both games in two doubleheaders, winning on Saturday 3-2 and 6-2 and earning 7-3 and 3-1 victories on Sunday. The Midshipman outscored the Cadets 19-8 in the four games combined.
Overall, Navy has won eight of its last 10 games, allowing four runs or fewer eight times. Navy is 10-2 on the road this season, with a 5-4 loss at UMBC and a 7-5 defeat at Lafayette.
Navy is hitting .299 as a team and has eight players batting over .300. Junior Leland Saile is batting .375 with 13 extra-base hits and 17 RBIs in his 32 games. Senior Robert Currie is hitting .352 with 10 doubles, three triples and 18 RBIs. Senior Sean Trent has a .309 average and leads the team in home runs (3) and RBIs (37).
Navy enters the game with a 2.68 team ERA and allowed four or fewer runs in 30 of 45 games this season, including posting nine shutouts.
PROBABLE STARTERS
Junior LHP Tyler Kardas (2-0, 5.06) is slated to make his sixth start of the year for Mason. He has started in each of the last five midweek games. In his last outing, Kardas allowed two runs on four hits in 4.0 innings against James Madison in a no decision. He struck out seven and walked just two batters.
Sophomore RHP Colin Brady (3-0, 4.55) is expected to make his seventh start of the season for Navy. He's allowed 19 runs (15 earned) on 34 hits over 29.2 innings of work in 10 appearances. Brady has surrendered only seven hits in his last two outings over 8.1 innings.
