BASEBALL vs. George Washington
WHEN: Friday, May 13 (2 p.m.) | Saturday, May 14 (2 p.m.) | Sunday, May 15 (1 p.m.)
WHERE: Spuhler Field | Fairfax, Va.
RECORDS: George Mason (18-29 9-9 A-10); George Washington (20-26, 8-10 A-10)
ALL-TIME SERIES: Mason leads, 42-39.
LAST MEETING: The Colonials won three-of-four in the last series against the Patriots May 8-9, 2021 at Spuhler Field.
LIVE STATS: Click here
 
FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason baseball team hosts George Washington for its final home series of the season beginning Friday, with the first pitch scheduled for 3 p.m. at Spuhler Field in Fairfax, Va.
 
The Patriots will celebrate Senior Day on Sunday.  Danny Hosley, Daniel Brooks, Jared Lyons, Kamron Smith, Hugh O'Hara, Mason Posey, Matthew Henson, Scott Morgan and Ben Shields will be recognized before the game.
 
Last time out, the Patriots (18-29, 9-9 A-10) dropped the final game of their series at Richmond, 7-2, on Sunday at Pitt Field in Richmond, Va.
 
Mason had won its last three Atlantic 10 series before its series against the Spiders. 
 
The Patriots are 10-12 at home, 7-17 on the road and 1-0 in games played at a neutral site this season.
 
In the last meeting between Mason and George Washington, the Colonials won three of the four games in the series, May 8-9, 2021 at Spuhler Field.  Mason won the first game of the series, 11-1, and George Washington took the next three contests 11-8, 5-0 and 13-7.
 
The Patriots are 5-5 in the last 10 games overall against the Colonials, and 2-8 in the last 10 games played in Fairfax.  Including this weekend, the last 10 games between the Patriots and Colonials have been played at Spuher Field.
 
Mason has 42 all-time wins against George Washington.  The Colonials are one of nine teams that the Patriots have had at least 40 victories against in program history (William & Mary-63, James Madison-53, Towson and VCU-50, UNC Wilmington-44, Howard and George Washington-42, Old Dominion and Richmond-41).
 
Freshman outfielder Brett Ahalt is batting .353 (47-for-133) with 10 doubles, one triple, two home runs, 29 RBI and 30 runs scored in 38 games with 36 starts.  He leads the team in average (.353), is tied for second in RBI (29), third in hits (47) and stolen bases (13) and he is fourth in runs scored (30).
 
Junior INF/OF South Trimble is hitting .326 (43-for-132) with seven doubles, two triples, 17 RBI and 35 runs scored in 34 starts.  He leads the club in stolen bases (24) and attempts (27), is tied for first in runs scored (35), is second in average (.326) and he is fifth in hits (43).

Sophomore outfielder Jordan Smith has a .323 average (31-for-96) with five doubles, one triple, one home run, 12 RBI and 17 runs scored in 25 games with 24 starts.  He is tied for third on the team in stolen bases (13), ranks third in batting average (.323) and he is eighth in hits (31).
 
Freshman catcher Connor Dykstra is hitting .299 (41-for-137) with seven doubles, one triple, six home runs, 32 RBI and 35 runs scored in 43 games with 42 starts.  He leads the team in home runs (6) and hit by pitch (17), is tied for first in both RBI (32) and runs scored (35), and he is sixth in hits (41).
 
Junior infielder Brett Stallings is batting .295 (54-for-183) with seven doubles, one home run, 32 RBI and 34 runs scored in 47 starts.  He leads the club in hits (54), is tied for first in RBI (32), and is second in both runs scored (34) and stolen bases (14).
 
The Patriots have a team batting average of .277 through 47 games.
 
On the mound, senior Jared Lyons (5-5, 6.08) leads the club in innings pitched (66.2) and is tied for first in strikeouts (53) in 15 appearances with 11 starts.  Graduate student Danny Hosley (3-3, 4.17) is tied for first on the club in strikeouts (53), is tied for second and saves (2) and fourth in innings pitched (45.1) in 11 appearances with five starts.  Sophomore Ryan Peterson (2-2, 4.69) is second on the club in innings pitched (55.2) in 13 appearances with eight starts.
 
Freshman Chad Gartland (1-1, 3.83) is second on the club in strikeouts (50), tied for second in saves (2) and third in innings pitched (51.2) in 12 appearances with seven starts.  Senior Matthew Henson (1-1, 8.26) leads the team in appearances (24) and he is seventh in innings pitched (28.1), while classmate Mason Posey (2-3, 7.83) is second on the club in appearances (20) 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.
 
Mason went 10-13 at home in 2021, including a mark of 7-9 against A-10 opponents.
 
The Patriots 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 GEORGE WASHINGTON
 
George Washington has an overall record of 20-26 including a mark of 8-10 against Atlantic 10 Conference opponents.  The Colonials are 17-7 at home and 3-19 on the road this season.
 
Last time out, George Washington dropped three games at VCU (May 7-8), with the Rams winning by final scores of 5-1, 11-3 and 7-2.
 
The Colonials have a record of 3-19 on the road.  George Washington defeated UMES, 8-3, on March 30 in Salisbury, Md.  The Colonials won two-of-three at Richmond (April 22-24), taking the first game, 8-3, and the series finale, 7-6, at Pitt Field.
 
In Atlantic 10 play, the Spiders are 6-3 at home and 2-7 on the road.  George Washington was swept in its three-game series at Saint Joseph's (April 15-17) and at VCU this past weekend.   

Junior utility player Steve Ditomaso is hitting .352 (69-for-196) with 11 doubles, two triples, five home runs, 31 RBI and 37 runs scored in 46 starts.  Senior outfielder Cade Fergus is batting .326 (61-for-187) with 18 doubles, one triple, 11 home runs, 33 RBI and 49 runs scored in 46 starts.
 
Senior infielder Derek Ripp has a .323 average (54-for-167) with 14 doubles, one home run, 27 RBI and 20 runs scored in 46 games with 45 starts.  Junior INF/OF Logan Leax is batting .299 (44-for-147) with four doubles, one triple, two home runs, 24 RBI and 24 runs scored in 43 games with 37 starts.
 
The Colonials have a team batting average of .282 through 46 games.
 
On the mound, senior Harrison Cohen (6-6, 3.77) leads the team in wins (6), innings pitched (74.0) and strikeouts (84).  Graduate student Justin Solt (3-4, 4.98) is second on the club in wins (3) and third in innings pitched (56.0).  Junior Connor Harris (2-7, 5.37) leads the team in starts (13) and is second in innings pitched (70.1).
 
George Washington has a team ERA of 5.47 through 46 games.
 
PROBABLE STARTERS
 
Friday
Mason: RHP Chad Gartland (1-1, 3.83)
George Washington: RHP Harrison Cohen (6-6, 3.77)
 
Saturday
Mason: LHP Ben Shields (2-2, 3.63)
George Washington RHP Connor Harris (2-7, 5.37)
 
Sunday
Mason: LHP Ryan Peterson (2-2, 4.69)
George Washington: RHP Justin Solt (3-4, 4.98)
 
STRIKE ZONE
 
Mason is 42-39 42 all-time against George Washington.  The Colonials are one of nine teams that the Patriots have had at least 40 victories against in program history (William & Mary-63, James Madison-53, Towson and VCU-50, UNC Wilmington-44, Howard and George Washington-42, Old Dominion and Richmond-41).