BASEBALL at Virginia Commonwealth University
WHEN: Friday, April 20 (6:30 p.m.) | Saturday, April 21 (2 p.m.) | Sunday, April 22 (1 p.m.)
WHERE: The Diamond | Richmond, Va.
RECORDS: George Mason (15-20, 6-3 A-10), VCU (24-13, 8-4 A-10)
LISTEN |
LIVE STATS
FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason baseball team returns to Atlantic 10 play with a three-game series against VCU beginning Friday, with the first pitch scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at The Diamond in Richmond, Va.
Mason (15-20, 6-3 A-10) defeated James Madison 7-1 on Wednesday at Veterans Memorial Park in Harrisonburg, Va.
Freshman
James Price (2-0) allowed just four singles and struck out four batters over five scoreless innings to earn the win.
Mason Senior
Tyler Nelin went 4-for-5 with four singles to increase his hitting streak to nine games. He drove in a run and scored a run. Junior
Brady Acker was 3-for-5 with a RBI and a run scored, while classmate
Alejandro Aponte drove in a pair of runs for the Patriots.
The Patriots scored five of their seven runs in the game with two outs.
Mason has a team batting average of .264 through 35 games. Sophomore
Logan Driscoll leads the Atlantic 10 in average (.387) and is third in the conference in hits (53). He ranks fifth in the A-10 in doubles (11) and is sixth in the conference in RBI (30). Driscoll has at least one hit in each of his last six games.
Nelin is hitting .358 (29-for-81) and is fifth on the team in hits (29). He has a nine game hitting streak. Senior
Trevor Kelly is batting .304 (42-for-138) and leads the team in home runs (4) and is second in hits (42) and RBI (27). He has hit safely in nine of his last 11 games.
Aponte is batting .270 (30-for-111) and is tied for third on the team in hits (30). He has at least one hit in nine of his last 11 games.
On the mound, junior
Zach Mort (3-2, 2.34) leads the A-10 in innings pitched (61.2), is tied for the conference lead in strikeouts (74) and ranks seventh in ERA (2.34). Senior
Ryan Ricci (3-1, 2.62) is fourth in the A-10 in appearances (17).
The Patriots and Rams have met 100 times. Mason is 49-51 all-time against VCU.
Mason took two of three games against VCU April 10-12, 2015 in the last meeting between the two teams. In a series held in Richmond, Va., the Patriots won the first game 7-1, dropped the middle game 9-1 and claimed the series finale 7-6.
The Patriots have won 12 of their last 16 games against the Rams. Mason has won seven of the last nine contests against VCU in Richmond, Va.
SCOUTING REPORT
VCU has an overall record of 24-13, including a mark of 8-4 against Atlantic 10 opponents. The Rams are 15-5 at home, 7-7 on the road and 2-1 in games played at a neutral site.
The Rams defeated Maryland 14-3 on Wednesday at Bob "Turtle" Smith Stadium in College Park, Md. VCU scored 14 runs on 13 hits in the game.
VCU is batting .273 as a team. Sophomore Paul Witt is hitting .338 (47-for-139) and leads the team in hits (47) and RBI (30). Senior Haiden Lamb is batting .323 (42-for-130) and leads the team in runs scored (27) and is tied for second in hits (42). Senior Daane Berezo has a .300 average (42-for-140) and is tied for second on the team in RBI (18) and runs scored (24).
On the mound, sophomore Connor Gillispie (6-1, 1.34) is second in the Atlantic 10 in wins (6) and ERA (1.34). Junior Mac McCarty (0-0, 2.96) leads the A-10 in saves (13).
After winning 14 straight at home, the Rams have dropped their last two games at The Diamond. Dayton downed VCU 6-1 on April 8 and VMI picked up a 4-1 victory over the Rams on April 11.
STRIKE ZONE
In Mason's first season in the Atlantic 10, the Patriots defeated VCU 3-0 in the A-10 Tournament semifinals and then topped the Rams 3-2 in the championship game to claim the Atlantic 10 Tournament title.
PROBABLE STARTERS
RHP RHP
Zach Mort (3-2, 2.34) vs. RHP Sean Thompson (4-1, 3.27)
RHP
Bryce Nightengale (3-3, 4.04) vs. RHP Connor Gillispie (6-1, 1.34)
TBA vs. RHP Sam Ryan (4-1, 3.27)
