BASEBALL vs. Fordham
WHEN: Friday, April 22 (3 p.m.) | Saturday, April 23 (2 p.m.) | Sunday, April 24 (1 p.m.)
WHERE: Spuhler Field | Fairfax, Va.
RECORDS: George Mason (12-23, 4-5 A-10); Fordham (8-25, 3-6 A-10)
ALL-TIME SERIES: Mason leads, 10-8.
LAST MEETING: The Rams defeated the Patriots, 2-1, on May 4, 2019 in the second game of a doubleheader at Spuhler Field.
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FAIRFAX, Va. – The Patriots continue their season-high, eight-game homestand when the host Fordham for a three-game Atlantic 10 Conference series beginning Friday, with the first pitch scheduled for 3 p.m. at Spuhler Field. in Fairfax, Va.

Last time out, the Patriots (12-23, 4-5 A-10) fell to James Madison, 3-2, on Wednesday at Spuhler Field.  The Dukes took both games in the season series.
 
The Patriots are 7-11 at home, 4-12 on the road and 1-0 in games played at a neutral site this season.
 
Mason and Fordham have met 18 times, with the Patriots leading the all-time series, 10-8.
 
In the last meeting between the two teams, Fordham took two-of-three games in the series May 3-4, 2019 at Spuhler Field.  The Rams won the first game of the series, 6-3 and the two teams split of doubleheader, with the Patriots taking the first game, 3-2, before dropping the nightcap, 2-1.
 
Since joining the Atlantic 10 prior to the 2014 season, the Patriots have a mark of 5-5 against the Rams in league play including a 4-0 win in the 2018 A-10 Tournament.
 
Junior INF/OF South Trimble has a .367 average (29-for-79) with five doubles, 12 RBI and 21 runs scored in 21 starts.  He leads the team in stolen bases (19), is second in runs scored (21) and tied for third in hits (29).
 
Freshman INF/OF Brett Ahalt has a .345 average (29-for-84) with six doubles, one triple., two home runs, 19 RBI and 18 runs scored in 25 games played with 23 starts.  He is tied for second on the club in RBI (19), tied for third in hits (29) and is fourth in runs scored (18). 
 
Sophomore center fielder Jordan Smith is hitting .330 (29-for-88) with four doubles, one triple, one home run, 12 RBI and 14 runs scored in 22 starts in the outfield.  He is second on the team in stolen bases (13) and is tied for second in hits (29).  
 
Junior second baseman Brett Stallings is batting .320 (41-for-128) with five doubles, one home run, 26 RBI and 22 runs scored in 34 starts on the right side of the infield.  He leads the team in hits (41) and RBI (26), is tied for tops on the club runs scored (121) and is third in stolen bases (12). 
 
Freshman catcher Connor Dykstra is hitting .289 (26-for-90) with six doubles, four home runs, 19 RBI and 22 runs scored in 30 games played with 28 starts.  He leads the team in home runs (4) and hit by pitch (13), is tied for first in runs scored (22) and is tied for second in RBI (19).
 
The Patriots have a team batting average of .269 through 34 games.
 
On the mound, senior Jared Lyons (4-4, 5.68) leads the club in innings pitched (57.0) and strikeouts (48) in 11 appearances with 10 starts.  Graduate student Danny Hosley (3-3, 4.10) is second on the club in strikeouts (44) and third in innings pitched (37.1) in eight appearances with five starts.  Sophomore Ryan Peterson (1-1, 5.13) is second on the club in innings pitched (40.1) in 10 appearances with five starts.
 
Freshman Chad Gartland (1-1, 2.45) is third on the club in strikeouts (37), second in saves (2) and fourth in innings pitched (33.0).  Senior Matthew Henson (1-1, 7.71) leads the team in appearances (18), while classmate Mason Posey (1-2, 6.75) is second in appearances (15) with three starts.  Posey leads the team in saves (3).   
 
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 played 11 of their first 13 games in March at Spuhler Field.
   
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 FORDHAM
 
Fordham has an overall record of 8-25 including a mark of 3-6 against Atlantic 10 Conference opponents.  The Rams are 8-10 at home and 0-15 on the road this season.
 
Last time out, Fordham fell at home to Fairfield, 6-5, on Wednesday at Houlihan Park in Bronx, N.Y.
 
Fordham has lost all 15 of its road games this season.  The Rams dropped three games at Texas A&M (Feb. 18-20) in College Station, Texas in the first series of the season.  Fordham lost three games to Virginia Tech (Feb. 25-27) in Blacksburg, Va. 
 
The Rams were swept in a three-game set at Florida Atlantic (March 4-6) in Boca Raton, Fla.  In their first A-10 road series of the season, Fordham dropped three games at Massachusetts (April 8-10).
 
Freshman outfielder Cian Sahler is batting .354 (29-for-82) with seven doubles, one triple, one home run, 14 RBI and 14 runs scored in 28 games with 19 starts. 
 
Junior infielder Zach Selinger is hitting .291 (25-for-86) with six doubles, two home runs, 13 RBI and 16 runs scored in 29 games with 24 starts.
 
Freshman outfielder Sebastian Mexico has a .280 average (30-for-107) with seven doubles, one home run, 13 RBI and 15 runs scored in 33 games with 25 starts.
 
The Rams have a team batting average of .257 through 33 games.
 
On the mound, sophomore Brooks Ey (2-5, 6.84) leads the team in starts (9) and strikeouts (42).  Junior Ben Kovel (2-1, 3.90) leads the club in ERA (3.90) and appearances (17).  Sophomore Cameron Knox (3-2, 7.43) paces the Rams in wins (3) and is second in appearances (13).  
 
Fordham has a team ERA of 7.54 through 33 games.
 
PROBABLE STARTERS

FRIDAY
Mason: RHP Chad Gartland (1-1, 2.45)   
Fordham: LHP Trey Maeker (0-1, 5.94)  
SATURDAY
Mason: LHP Ben Shields (1-2, 4.26) 
Fordham: RHP Cameron Knox (3-2, 7.43)  
SUNDAY
Mason: Jared Lyons (4-4, 5.68) 
Fordham: RHP Brooks Ey (2-5, 6.84)

STRIKE ZONE
 
The second-seeded Patriots defeated third-seeded Fordham, 4-0, on May 24, 2018 in the Atlantic 10 Championships at Barcroft Park in Arlington, Va.
 
With the win, Mason advanced to the semifinals of the A-10 Baseball Championships for the second time in program history.
 
Greg Popatak II went 3-for-for with two doubles and three RBI in the game.  Bryce Nightengale scattered five singles over 6.2 innings to earn the win, while Ryan Ricci tossed 2.1 innings of one-hit ball to pick of the save.