BASEBALL (13-28, 2-10 A-10) vs. RICHMOND (22-16, 8-7 A-10)

WHEN:  3 p.m. Friday, Apr. 29; 2 p.m. Saturday, Apr. 9; 1 p.m. Sunday, May 1
WHERE:  Spuhler Field
LAST MEETING:  The Spiders took two of three from the Patriots last season in Richmond, sweeping a doubleheader 10-6 in 10 innings and 8-1.  The Patriots won the final game of the series 5-1.
LIVE STATS:  GoMason.com
RADIO:  GoMason Digital Network

PROMOTION:  Friday's game is the Mason Athletics Game of the Week.  Mason students can pick up free tickets to the Washington Nationals home game against the Miami Marlins on Friday, May 13 at 7:05 p.m. at Nationals Park.  Tickets are available for Mason students on a first-come, first-served basis, while supplies last.  Mason students must show a valid Mason student ID to pick up the tickets, and the tickets are limited to one per Mason student.

FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason baseball team returns to Atlantic 10 Conference play this weekend with a three-game set against Richmond, with the first game of the series scheduled for 3 p.m. Friday afternoon at Spuhler Field. 

Mason (13-28, 2-10 A-10) will look to rebound from a 13-9 loss to Navy on Wednesday.  The Midshipman scored eight runs on seven hits in the top of the first inning to take the lead.  Navy collected 11 singles and one double in the contest.  The Patriots finished with 11 hits, 10 singles and a double.

Sophomore Michael Smith went 3-for-4 with three singles and scored two runs.  He has nine multi-hit games this season.  Sophomore Trevor Kelly was 3-for-5 with two RBIs.  He has driven in two runs in each of his last three games.  Sophomore Garett Driscoll finished 2-for-4 with a RBI and a run scored and freshman Greg Popatak II drove in a pair of runs.

As a team, the Patriots have hit 17 homers this season.  Sophomore Tyler Nelin and Driscoll are tied for the team lead with four round trippers each.  The Patriots have hit a home run in three of their last four home games.

Mason now turns its attention to Richmond in a key Atlantic 10 matchup.  The Spiders took two of three games from the Patriots last season in Richmond, winning both games of a doubleheader, 10-6 in 10 innings in game one and 8-1 in the nightcap.  The Patriots won the series finale 5-1.  Smith collected five hits and scored four runs, while Kent Blackstone drove in four runs in the three games.

In the last three games between the two teams at Spuhler Field, each team has earned a win and there has also been a tie.  On March 9, 2011, the Patriots and Spiders game ended knotted 8-8 in the tenth inning due to darkness.

The Patriots are 2-10 against Atlantic 10 opponents this season with both wins at Spuhler Field.  Mason beat Rhode Island 2-1 March 26, scoring the winning run in the bottom of the tenth inning and defeated Dayton 8-2 Apr. 9.  Mason has scored four or fewer runs in 10 of 12 conference games this season.

Popatak leads Mason at the plate, batting .280 with two home runs and 13 RBIs in 37 games.  Kelly is hitting .269 with 13 RBIs and eight of his 28 hits have been doubles.  Blackstone leads the team in extra-base hits (16) and RBIs (26).   

SCOUTING REPORT

Richmond (22-16, 8-7 A-10) hasn't played since taking two of three games at VCU last weekend.  The Spiders won 5-4 in 10 innings and 6-4 in 11 innings.  Richmond has won seven of its last nine games overall, with all seven wins by two runs or fewer.   

After losing two games in each of their first two series against conference opponents, the Spiders have won three straight series against Atlantic 10 foes.  Richmond has taken two of three games against Saint Louis, Davidson and VCU. 

Richmond lost its first seven road games of the season and is 3-8 away from home overall.

The Spiders are batting .315 as a team.  Junior Kurtis Brown is hitting .382 with a home run and 27 RBIs.  Michael Morman is hitting .350 with three homers and leads the team in RBIs (33).  Senior Jason Fraser has hit five of the Spiders 25 round trippers this season.

PROBABLE STARTERS

Friday, April 29:

George Mason:  RHP Tyler Zombro (2-7, 5.11)
Richmond:  RHP Keenan Bartlett (1-4, 5.59)

Saturday, April 30:

George Mason:  LHP Joe Williams (2-5, 5.46)
Richmond:  LHP Zach Grossfeld (4-4, 4.50)

Sunday, May 1:

George Mason:  LHP Brian Marconi (0-3, 5.67)
Richmond:  RHP Dan Martinson (6-1, 4.66)