BASEBALL vs. Navy
WHEN: Wednesday, March 2 | 2:30 p.m.
WHERE: Spuhler Field | Fairfax, Va.
RECORDS: George Mason (3-4, 0-0 A-10); Navy (4-2, 0-0 Patriot League)
ALL-TIME SERIES: Navy leads, 17-13
LAST MEETING: The Midshipmen swept a doubleheader from the Patriots, 7-3 and 3-2, on Feb. 27, 2021 at Max Bishop Stadium in Annapolis, Md.
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FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason baseball team plays its home opener against Navy on Wednesday at Spuhler Field with the first pitch scheduled for 2:30 p.m.
 
Last time out, Mason (3-4) fell to USC Upstate, 2-1, in the final game of the OneSpartanburg, Inc. Baseball Classic at Harley Park in Spartanburg, S.C.
 
Graduate student starter Danny Hosley pitched a complete game, struck out 11 batters and walked just one.  In the three games over the weekend, Patriot's pitchers combined to allow just five total runs against Presbyterian (4-2 W), Boston College (4-1 W) and USC Upstate (2-1 L).
 
Junior first baseman South Trimble went 1-for-3 with a walk and scored a run against the Spartans.
 
The Patriots and Midshipmen faced each other in the first two games of the 2021 season.  Navy swept a doubleheader from Mason, 7-3 and 3-2, on Feb. 27, 2021 at Max Bishop Stadium in Annapolis, Md.  The third game of the series scheduled for Feb. 28 was cancelled.
  
Scott Morgan went 3-for-6 over the two games with two RBI and a run scored in the two-game set.
 
Freshman INF/OF Brett Ahalt is batting .375 (6-for-16) with one double and one run scored in six games played.  Senior infielder Daniel Brooks is hitting .364 (4-for-11) with a double, three RBI and two runs scored in five games played.
 
Junior INF/OF South Trimble has a .321 average (9-for-28) with a double, three RBI and five runs scored in seven starts.  Freshman catcher Connor Dykstra is batting .300 (6-for-20) with two home runs, five RBI and six runs scored in seven starts behind the plate. 
 
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), Christian Mracna (RHP), Andrew Schaeb (LHP), Ben Shields (LHP) and Britt Yount (RHP).
 
New position players include Brett Ahalt (INF/OF), Tyler Cotten (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 rivals, and four opponents that made a NCAA Regional appearance last season.
 
The Patriots played seven games on the road in February, and will play 18 games in March, 19 games in April and 12 contests in May.
 
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 NAVY
 
Navy finished the 2021 season with an overall record of 17-15, including a mark of 11-12 against Patriot League opponents and qualified for the conference tournament for the 10th straight time.  The Midshipmen went 12-5 at home and 5-10 on the road.
 
The Midshipmen have a record of 4-2 through the first six games of the 2022 campaign.
 
Navy began the season with a pair of one-run games over UMBC, with a 10-9 victory on Feb. 18 and an 11-10 win in 12 innings on Feb. 19 at Max Bishop Stadium.  The Midshipmen then fell at home to Coppin State, 15-9, on Wednesday Feb. 23.
 
Navy took two-of-three from Air Force at the Freedom Classic at Grainger Stadium in Kinston, N.C.  After dropping the first game of the series, 2-1, the Midshipmen swept a doubleheader, 5-1 and 2-1, over the Falcons.
 
The Midshipmen return 21 players from last year's roster.
 
Sophomore third baseman Logan Keller leads the team with a .409 batting average (9-for-22) with two RBI and four runs scored.  He was selected Patriot League Player of the Week after going 6-for-9 with three runs scored in the two games against the Retrievers.
 
Senior catcher Christian Policelli, an All-Patriot League First Team selection last season, is batting .400 (10-for-25) and leads the club in hits (10), doubles (2), RBI (8) and runs scored (6).  He was selected to the 15-member Preseason All-Patriot League Team.

Sophomore shortstop Eduardo Diaz is batting .280 (7-for-25) with one double, one triple, five RBI and five runs scored.  He was recognized as the Preseason Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year.  Diaz led Patriot League shortstops last season with a .988 fielding percentage.
 
On the mound, freshman Owen Archer (1-1, 20.25, 1.1 IP), Liam Golden (1-0, 0.00, 5.1 IP), senior Collin Jones (1-0, 4.76, 5.2 IP), and freshman Landon Kruer (1-1, 2.70, 3.1 IP) have each posted a win this season.
 
The Midshipmen were picked to finish second in the 2022 Patriot League Preseason Poll with 38 points.  Army was projected to win the league with 10 of the 12 first-place votes and 50 points.
       
PROBABLE STARTERS
 
Mason:  LHP Ryan Peterson (0-0, 12.27)
Navy:  TBD
 
STRIKE ZONE
 
In the last game between Mason and Navy at Spuhler Field, the Midshipmen won a slugfest against the Patriots, 18-12, on April 24, 2019.  Each team finished with 19 hits in the game.
 
Every player in the Mason lineup reached base at least once in the game, while six players finished with at least two hits for the Patriots.