BASEBALL at James Madison
WHEN: Wednesday, Feb. 23 | 3 p.m.
WHERE: Veterans Memorial Park | Harrisonburg, Va.
RECORDS: George Mason (1-2); James Madison (0-3)
ALL-TIME SERIES: James Madison leads 67-53
LAST MEETING: The Dukes defeated the Patriots, 4-3, on May 7, 2019 at Sphuler Field.
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FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason baseball team is back on the road for a midweek matchup against James Madison on Wednesday, Feb. 23, with the first pitch scheduled for 3 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Park in Harrisonburg, Va.
 
Last time out, Mason (1-2) fell to Wofford, 15-13, in the final game of a three-game series in Spartanburg, S.C.
 
Freshman catcher Connor Dykstra went 3-for-3 with his first two collegiate home runs and three RBI in the game against the Terriers.  He reached base all five times at the plate and scored five runs in the game.
 
Dykstra was named Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week after batting .500 (5-for-10) with five RBI and six runs scored in the opening series of the season..
 
Junior first baseman South Trimble finished the day 2-for-6 with a pair of RBI and a run scored.  He went 7-for-14 with three RBI and three runs scored in the series.
 
Sophomore center fielder Jordan Smith and freshman right fielder Yogie Hartigan each drove in two runs on Sunday.
 
Graduate student Chris Ruckdeschel, along with sophomores Christian Mracna and Stephen Restuccio made their Mason debuts in the game.
 
The Patriots and Dukes met twice during the 2019 season, with James Madison winning both games.  The Dukes posted a 10-7 victory at Veterans Memorial Park (March 5, 2019) and a comeback 4-3 win at Spuhler Field (May 7, 2019).
 
Scott Morgan went 2-for-4 in both games against the Dukes three years ago, including a home run in the second meeting between the two teams.  Daniel Brooks was 3-for-9 over the two meetings.
 
The Patriots return six position players and four pitchers from the 2021 roster, including one weekend starter.
 
Last season, senior right-hander Jared Lyons was named Atlantic 10 All-Conference First Team starting pitcher and he was also selected to the A-10 All-Academic Team.
 
A native of Springfield, Va., Lyons finished the season with a 6-2 record and 3.73 ERA.  He won five of his last seven starts and tossed at least six innings in eight of his 12 starts on the season.
Lyons, who has been selected A-10 Preseason Pitcher of the Year, went 4-1 with a 2.97 ERA in six starts in 2021 against conference opponents.  Among A-10 leaders, he ranked second in lowest opponent batting average (.192), tied for third in wins (6), and was fourth in both innings pitched (72.1) and strikeouts (76).
 
Seniors Matthew Henson, Hugh O'Hara and Mason Posey also return for the Patriots.
 
Position players returning for Mason are senior infielders Daniel Brooks and Scott Morgan, junior infielder/outfielder South Trimble, junior infielder Brett Stallings, junior outfielder Craig Miles, Jr. and sophomore outfielder Jordan Smith.
 
ABOUT THE PATRIOTS
 
Mason has 10 returners and 25 newcomers on the roster heading into the season under Bill Brown, who enters his 41st year as the head coach of the Patriots.
 
The Mason senior class includes pitchers Matthew Henson, Jared Lyons, Hugh O'Hara and Mason Posey, along with infielders Daniel Brooks and Scott Morgan.
 
The junior class includes outfielder Craig Miles, Jr., infielder Brett Stallings, and infielder/outfielder South Trimble.  Sophomore outfielder Jordan Smith returns for his second season with the Green and Gold.
 
The Patriots added 25 new players, with 18 freshman, three sophomores and four graduate students.
 
Rookie pitchers joining the Patriots are Jackson Baird (RHP), Diego Barrett (RHP), Dylan Crowley (LHP), Konner Eaton (LHP), Chad Gartland, (RHP), Jalen Grant (LHP), Danny Hosley (INF/RHP), Thomas Little (LHP), Christina Mracna (RHP), Andrew Schaeb (LHP), Ben Shields (LHP) and Britt Yount (RHP).
 
New position players include Brett Ahalt (INF/OF), Tyler Cotton (C/INF), Connor Dykstra (C), Yogie Hartigan (OF), Alex Knapp (UTL), Carsen Pracht (INF) and Logan Scully (C).
 
The Patriots bring on sophomores Christian Mracna (RHP), Ryan Peterson (LHP), and Stephen Restuccio (RHP).
 
The Patriots also added four graduate student transfers, Danny Hosley (INF/RHP), Chris Ruckdeschel (RHP), Ben Shields (LHP) and Kamron Smith (OF/INF).
 
Mason is scheduled to play 56 games, including 24 against Atlantic 10 Conference rival, and four opponents that made a NCAA Regional appearance last season.
 
The Patriots will play seven games on the road in February, 18 games in March, 19 games in April and 12 games in May.
 
Mason plays its first series of the 2022 campaign with three games against Wofford in Spartanburg, S.C. (Feb. 18-20), visits James Madison in Harrisonburg, Va. (Feb. 23), and then faces Presbyterian College, Boston College and USC Upstate in Clinton, S.C. and Spartanburg, S.C. (Feb. 25-27).
 
Mason went 10-13 at home in 2021, including a mark of 7-9 against A-10 opponents.
 
The Patriots play 11 of their first 13 games in March at Spuhler Field.
   
Mason hosts Navy for the home opener (March 2) and then welcomes Monmouth for three games at Spuhler Field (March 4-6). 
  
The Patriots are scheduled to play 11 games at home and seven on the road in April.  In the final month of the regular season, Mason will play eight of 12 games on the road in May.
  
The Patriots will play four home-and-home series during the 2022 season, taking on James Madison, Longwood, Maryland and William & Mary for single games at home and on the road.
 
Mason plays eight league series, four at home and four on the road.
 
Home series against A-10 foes include three-game weekend sets against VCU (April 1-3), Saint Louis (April 15-17), Fordham (April 22-24) and George Washington (May 13-15).
 
The Patriots will visit Saint Joseph's (April 8-10), Massachusetts (April 29-May 1), Richmond (May 6-8) and Davidson (May 19-21).
 
SCOUTING JAMES MADISON
 
James Madison finished the 2021 season with an overall record of 11-17, including a mark of 6-9 against Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) opponents.  The Dukes went 8-6 at home and 3-11 on the road.
 
The Dukes were swept by No. 11 Florida State opening weekend in Tallahassee, Fla.  The Seminoles won the opener, 4-1, claimed a 13-2 victory in the middle game and took the series finale, 10-4.
 
Junior pitcher Lliam Grubbs was named to the Stopper of the Year Award preseason watch list, given to the top relief pitcher in NCAA Division I Baseball.
 
Grubbs, who was selected All-CAA Second Team last season, made 12 appearances out of the bullpen and led the Dukes last season with four saves.  He posted a 1-0 record with a 4.42 ERA in 18.1 innings of work with 21 strikeouts and nine walks.
 
Sophomore outfielder/pitcher Chase DeLauter was selected to the preseason Golden Spikes Award watch list, presented to the top amateur baseball player in the country.  He has been named to five Preseason All-America Teams, three First-Team selections (Baseball America, Perfect Game, and Prospects Live), one Second-Team (D1Baseball) and one Third-Team (National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association).
 
DeLauter, a Preseason All-CAA Team selection, batted .386 with six home runs and 21 RBI in 26 games last season and ended the year with a 16-game hit streak.
 
PROBABLE STARTERS
 
Mason:  TBD
James Madison:  TBD
 
STRIKE ZONE
 
Mason has faced James Madison more than any other opponent in program history.  The Patriots are 53-67 all-time against the Dukes.