BASEBALL at Massachusetts
WHEN: Friday, April 29 (3 p.m.) | Saturday, May 1 (1 p.m.) | Sunday, May 2 (12 p.m.)
WHERE: Earl Lorden Field | Amherst, Mass.
RECORDS: George Mason (14-25, 6-6 A-10); UMass (18-16-1, 6-6 A-10)
ALL-TIME SERIES: Massachusetts leads, 7-6.
LAST MEETING: The Patriots defeated the Minutemen, 11-2, on April 29, 2018 to take two-of-three in the series at Spuhler Field.
WATCH: ESPN+ ($)
LIVE STATS: Click here
 
FAIRFAX, Va. – The Patriots are back on the road to face Massachusetts in a three-game Atlantic 10 series beginning Friday, with the first pitch scheduled for 3 p.m. at Earl Lorden Field in Amherst, Mass.
 
Last time out, the Patriots (14-25, 6-6 A-10) fell to No. 11 Virginia, 17-7, on Wednesday at Disharoon Park in Charlottesville, Va. 
 
The Patriots are 9-12 at home, 4-13 on the road and 1-0 in games played at a neutral site this season.
 
In the last meeting between Mason and UMass, the Patriots took two-of-three games in the series April 27-29, 2018 at Spuhler Field.  Mason won the first game of the series, 2-1, dropped the middle game, 1-0, and claimed an 11-2 win in the finale.
 
The Patriots are 4-3 against the Minutemen at home and 2-4 on the road.  In the Patriots last trip to Amherst, Massachusetts swept the three-game series May 19-21, 2016 by final scores 2-1, 2-1 and 4-2.
 
Junior INF/OF South Trimble is hitting .400 (40-for-100) with six doubles, two triples, 14 RBI and 29 runs scored in 26 starts.  He leads the club in average (.400), stolen bases (21) and attempts (24) and runs scored (29).  Trimble is second on the team in hits (40).
 
Freshman outfielder Brett Ahalt is batting .371 (39-for-105) with seven doubles, one triple, two home runs, 23 RBI and 24 runs scored in 30 games with 28 starts.  He is third on the team in hits (39) and RBI (23) and tied for fourth in runs scored (24).
 
Sophomore outfielder Jordan Smith has a .330 average (29-for-88) with four doubles, one triple, one home run, 12 RBI and 14 runs scored in 22 starts.  He is second on the team in stolen bases (13).
 
Junior infielder Brett Stallings is batting .309 (47-for-152) with six doubles, one home run, 29 RBI and 26 runs scored in 39 starts.  He leads the club in hits (47) and RBI (29), is second in runs scored (26) and tied for third in stolen bases (12).

Freshman catcher Connor Dykstra is hitting .308 (33-for-107) with seven doubles, five home runs, 25 RBI and 28 runs scored in 35 games with 34 starts.  He leads the team in home runs (5) and hit by pitch (14), and he is second in both RBI (25) and runs scored (28).
 
The Patriots have a team batting average of .278 through 39 games.
 
On the mound, senior Jared Lyons (4-5, 6.83) leads the club in innings pitched (59.1) and strikeouts (50) in 13 appearances with 11 starts.  Graduate student Danny Hosley (3-3, 3.79) is second on the club in strikeouts (48) and third in innings pitched (40.1) in nine appearances with five starts.  Sophomore Ryan Peterson (2-1, 4.66) is second on the club in innings pitched (46.1) in 11 appearances with six starts.
 
Freshman Chad Gartland (1-1, 2.54) is third on the club in strikeouts (42), second in saves (2) and fourth in innings pitched (39.0) in 10 appearances with five starts.  Senior Matthew Henson (1-1, 7.56) leads the team in appearances (21) and is sixth in innings pitched (25.0), while classmate Mason Posey (2-2, 6.83) is second in appearances (17) 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 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 MASSACHUSETTS
 
Massachusetts has an overall record of 18-16-1 including a mark of 6-6 against Atlantic 10 Conference opponents.  The Minutemen are 7-2 at home, 9-9-1 on the road and 2-5 in games played at a neutral site.
 
Last time out, UMass defeated Siena, 15-14, on Wednesday in Loudonville, N.Y.
 
The Minutemen are 5-1 at home and 1-5 on the road in A-10 play this season.  UMass won two-of-three against Saint Joseph's (April 1-2) at Earl Lorden Field.  The Minutemen earned a 23-7 victory in the opening game, then split a doubleheader with a 13-12 win in game one and a 16-13 loss in the final game of the series.
 
UMass swept three games against Fordham (April 8-10) by final scores of 8-5, 7-5 and 8-7 at Earl Lorden Field.
 
Graduate student infielder Cole Hebble is hitting .403 (56-for-139) with 15 doubles, one triple, three home runs, 22 RBI and 39 runs scored in 33 starts.  Sophomore infielder Nolan Tichy is batting .347 (35-for-101) with nine doubles, one triple, two home runs, 20 RBI and 21 runs scored in 32 games with 23 starts.
 
The Minutemen have a team batting average of .286 through 35 games.
 
On the mound, senior Kevin Dow (6-2, 5.91) leads the team in wins (6), starts (8), innings pitched (42.2) and strikeouts (35).  Senior Tyler Dalton (1-2, 7.43) is tied for second on the club in starts (6) and is third in innings pitched (26.2). Junior Daniel Livnat (1-2, 5.02) is tied for second in starts (6) and is third in innings pitched (28.2)
 
UMass has a team ERA of 6.86 through 35 games.
 
STRIKE ZONE
 
Mason has faced UMass 13 times in program history, with 12 of the meetings as a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference.
 
In the only non-conference game between the two teams, the Patriots defeated the Minutemen, 3-1, on March 16, 2009 at Spuhler Field.
 
Justin Bour provided all the offense for the Patriots, with a solo home run and a two-run double.