BASEBALL at James Madison
WHEN: Tuesday, Feb. 21 (3 p.m.)
WHERE: Veterans Memorial Park | Harrisonburg, Va.
RECORDS: George Mason (2-1); James Madison (0-3)
ALL-TIME SERIES: James Madison leads, 69-53
LAST MEETING: James Madison edged the Patriots, 3-2, on April 20, 2023 at Spuhler Field.
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FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason baseball team travels to face James Madison on Tuesday for the first midweek game of the season, with the first pitch scheduled for 3 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Park in Harrisonburg, Va.
Last time out, the Patriots won two of three in their series at Florida International. Mason claimed the season opener, 8-2 and won the finale, 5-2. The Panthers took the middle game of the series, 3-2.
On Sunday, Mason senior starter
Ryan Peterson allowed two runs on two hits over five strong innings to earn the win. Junior
Christian Mracna pitched the ninth to pick up the save.
Freshman outfielder
James Quinn-Irons hit his second home run in three games. Senior second baseman
Brett Stallings drove in a pair of runs, while junior third baseman
Mark Trotta and junior center fielder
Jordan Smith each knocked in a run in the victory.
This past weekend, freshmen
Evan Blanchard,
Tyler Herkey,
Connor Knox,
Brady Powell,
Owen Stewart, and Quinn-Irons made their collegiate debuts.
Ryan Archibald,
Nick Martins,
Kyle Menaker,
Derek Wood and Trotta each played their first game in a Mason uniform.
Quinn-Irons has a .455 average through the first three games (5-for-11) with two home runs, three RBI and three runs scored in three starts. Trotta is hitting .333 (4-for-12) with one RBI and one run scored in three starts.
Stallings is batting .333 (3-for-9) with four RBI and one run scored in three starts. Senior first baseman
South Trimble has a .273 average (3-for-11) with two runs scored and has been hit by a pitch three times in his three starts.
The Patriots hit four home runs in three games opening weekend against FIU.
On the mound, graduate student
Ben Shields (1-0, 1.80) and Peterson (1-0, 3.60) each earned a win in their first start of the season.
The Patriots and Dukes met twice during the 2022 season with James Madison earning a win in both matchups. The Dukes shut out the Patriots, 14-0 at Veterans Memorial Park on Feb. 23 and picked up a 3-2 victory at Spuhler Field on April 20.
ABOUT THE PATRIOTS
Mason has 16 returners and added 23 newcomers on the roster heading into the season under
Shawn Camp, who enters his first year as the head coach of the Patriots, won his first game as a head coach on Feb. 17 with an 8-2 victory at Florida International.
Returning for the Patriots are graduate student pitchers
Hugh O'Hara,
Mason Posey and
Ben Shields. The Mason senior class includes outfielder
Craig Miles, Jr., pitcher
Ryan Peterson, infielder
Brett Stallings and infielder/outfielder
South Trimble.
The junior class includes pitcher
Christian Mracna and outfielder
Jordan Smith. Sophomores returning for their second year with the Green and Gold are pitchers
Jalen Grant,
Chad Gartland and
Britt Yount, catcher
Connor Dykstra, infielder
Carsen Pracht and outfielder
Alex Knapp. Redshirt freshman pitcher Konner Earton also enters his second year.
The Patriots added 23 new players, with 18 freshman, three sophomores and four graduate students entering their first year at George Mason.
Rookie pitchers joining the Patriots are
Ryan Edmonds (RHP),
Chris Fidanza (RHP),
Tyler Herkey (LHP),
Connor Knox (RHP),
Logan Rumberg (RHP),
Michael Salina (RHP),
Kyle Smith (RHP) and
Owen Stewart (RHP).
New position players include freshmen
Evan Blanchard (INF),
A.J. Martin (INF),
Brady Powell (INF),
Bennett Shealor (C) and
James Quinn-Irons (OF).
The Patriots brought on a total of nine transfers. Juniors
Nick Martins (RHP),
Kyle Menaker (RHP)
Mark Trotta (INF) and
Derek Wood (OF), along with sophomores
Brandon Parks (OF),
Dylan Winebrenner (C) and
Reece Woody (OF).
The Patriots also added three graduate student transfers,
Ryan Archibald (INF),
Robbie Dudzinski (RHP) and
Nolan Lamere (RHP).
GEORGE MASON 2023 SCHEDULE
The Patriots are scheduled to play a 56-game slate that includes 24 contests against Atlantic 10 Conference rivals, 28 games at Spuhler Field and matchups against two opponents that made a NCAA Regional appearance last season.
The Patriots begin the season with eight straight games on the road from Feb. 17 through Feb. 28.
George Mason played its first series of the 2023 campaign with three games against Florida International University in Miami, Fla. (Feb. 17-19). The Patriots won the first game, 8-2 and the series finale, 5-2, while the Panthers claimed the middle game of the series (3-2).
Mason then visits James Madison for a midweek game in Harrisonburg, Va. (Feb. 21) and faces South Dakota State in a three-game set in Lexington, S.C. (Feb. 24-26). The Patriots wrap up the road stretch against William & Mary in Williamsburg, Va. (Feb. 28).
The eight road games to start the season are the most since the Patriots played the first eight away from home in 2017.
In March, Mason is scheduled to play 14 games at home and 13 games on the road. To begin the month, the Patriots will play a season-high 14 straight games at Spuhler Field, with three weekend series and three midweek contests.
Mason starts the homestand against Niagara with a four-game series (March 3-5) and then welcomes Georgetown for a midweek game (March 7).
The Patriots will take on St. Peter's in a four-game weekend series (March 10-12) and then host Maine in a midweek matinee (March 14).
Mason hosts Cornell at Spuhler Field for three games (March 17-19) and William & Mary for a single game (March 22) before the Patriots head back on the road.
The Patriots went 13-12 at home in 2022, including a mark of 8-4 against A-10 opponents.
Mason is scheduled to play a season-high nine straight games on the road from March 24 through April 5.
The Patriots begin the stretch when they travel to take on East Carolina in a three-game series in Greenville, N.C. (March 24-26).
After a midweek game against Longwood in Farmville, Va. (March 29), the Patriots play their first league series of the season against Rhode Island in Kingston, R.I. (March 31-April 2).
Mason plays its only set of back-to-back midweek games during the season against Georgetown in Washington, D.C. (April 4) and Towson in Towson, Md. (April 5).
The Patriots are scheduled to play 11 games at home and seven on the road in April.
The Patriots play 11 of 14 games at Spuhler Field beginning with a three-game league series against Dayton (April 7-9) and a Tuesday meeting with Longwood (April 11).
Mason is on the road for a weekend series when they travel down I-95 to face VCU in Richmond, Va. (April 14-16). Last year, the Rams finished first in the Atlantic 10 during the regular season and won the 2022 A-10 Baseball Championship to earn a spot in the Chapel Hill, N.C. Regional in the NCAA Tournament.
The Patriots then return home for a seven-game homestand. Mason begins with a three-game series against A-10 foe St. Bonaventure (April 21-23), plays a non-conference midweek tilt against Mount St. Mary's (April 25) and then wraps up the month with a three-game conference set against Richmond (April 28-30).
The Patriots will play eight straight on the road to begin the month of May.
Mason travels to meet Navy in a midweek matchup (May 3), then heads north for three games against Fordham in Bronx, N.Y. (May 5-7). The Patriots collide with the George Washington Colonials in a three-game series in the Revolutionary Rivalry in Washington, D.C. (May 12-14) and end the stretch against Maryland-Eastern Shore in Princess Ann, Md. (May 16).
The Patriots conclude the regular season when they host Saint Joseph's at Spuhler Field (May 19-21).
The Patriots will play three home-and-home series during the 2023 season, taking on Georgetown, Longwood 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 Dayton (April 7-9), St. Bonaventure (April 21-23), Richmond (April 28-30) and Saint Joseph's (May 19-21).
The Patriots will visit Rhode Island (March 31-April 2), VCU (April 14-16), Fordham (May 5-7) and George Washington (May 12-14).
The 2023 Atlantic 10 Baseball Championship will be held May 23-27 at The Diamond in Richmond, Va.
SCOUTING JAMES MADISON
James Madison finished the 2022 season with an overall record of 27-26, including a mark of 12-11 against Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) opponents. The Dukes went 17-7 at home and 10-19 on the road last season.
Florida State swept three games from James Madison this past weekend at Dick Howser Stadium in Tallahassee, Fla. The Seminoles won by scores of 12-7, 5-1 and 17-10.
Last year, outfielder/infielder Trevon Dabney started all 48 games he played and had a .303 batting average (53-for-175). He led the club in doubles (14), runs scored (53), walks (30) and hit by pitch (23), tied for second in home runs (8) and was third in hits (53) and RBI (38).
Infielder Kyle Novak started all 53 games and batted .292 (64-for-219). He led the team in hits (64), RBI (49) and doubles (14), was third in runs scored (38) and fifth in both home runs (5) and walks (24).
Infielder Mason Dunaway started all 50 games he played and had a .277 batting average (48-for-173). He was fourth on the club in hits (48), sixth in walks (22) and seventh in RBI (26).
On the mound, Ryan Murphy (4-2, 3.86) made 14 appearances with 11 starts. He was second in the team in innings pitched (65.1) and third in strikeouts (43). Sean Culkin (2-2, 4.96) led the team with 26 appearances out of the bullpen.
PROBABLE STARTERS
Friday
Mason: RHP
Connor Knox (0-0, 0.00)
James Madison: TBD
STRIKE ZONE
The Patriots have faced James Madison more than any other opponent in program history. Mason is 53-69 all-time against the Dukes.
Among the Patriots most common opponents, Mason has faced James Madison 122 times, followed by VCU (113), Richmond (108), William & Mary (104), UNC-Wilmington (100), Towson (95) and Old Dominion. (90).
