BASEBALL vs. Mount St. Mary's
WHEN: Tuesday, April 25 (3 p.m.)
WHERE: Spuhler Field | Fairfax, Va.
RECORDS: George Mason (17-19, 4-5 Atlantic 10); Mount St. Mary's (20-18, 6-6 MAAC)
ALL-TIME SERIES: George Mason leads Mount St. Mary's, 16-4
LAST MEETING: The Patriots fell to the Mountaineers, 11-10, on May 4, 2022 in Emmitsburg, Md.
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FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason baseball team continues its seven-game homestand against Mount St. Mary's on Tuesday with the first pitch scheduled for 3 p.m. at Spuhler Field in Fairfax, Va.

Last time out, the Patriots dropped the final game of the series to St. Bonaventure, 4-3, in 11 innings on Sunday afternoon at Spuhler Field.  Four of the Patriots last six home games have been decided by one run.

Mason and Mount St. Mary's met once last season.  The Patriots rallied in the late innings to take the lead, but fell to the Mountaineers, 11-10, on May 4, 2022 at Straw Family Stadium in Emmitsburg, Md.

The last time the two teams met at Spuhler Field, the Patriots scored 10 unanswered runs in the game and held on for a 14-13 victory over Mount St. Mary's on May 1, 2019.

The Patriots rank third in Division I baseball in stolen bases with 119 in 39 games.  Only VMI (155) and Mississippi Valley (135) have more.  Senior infielder South Trimble is tied for 23rd in the NCAA with 23 stolen bases. 

Mason is tied for 20th nationally in hit by pitch (73 in 39 games) with sophomore catcher Connor Dykstra tied for fourth in the NCAA (21 times in 37 games), while Trimble is tied for 30th (14 times in 39 games).

Freshman outfielder James Quinn-Irons leads the Patriots with a .400 average (42-for-105) with four home runs, 26 RBI and 29 runs scored in 28 games with 27 starts.  He is third on the club in hits (42), home runs (4) and runs scored (29) and fourth in RBI (26).

Dykstra is batting .286 (34-for-119) with six home runs, 25 RBI and 28 runs scored in 37 starts.  He leads the team in home runs (6) and hit by pitch (21), is tied for first in doubles (11) and is fifth in hits (34) and RBI (25).

Trimble is hitting .315 (46-for-146) with three home runs, 29 RBI and 40 runs scored in 39 starts.  He leads the team in hits (46), runs scored (40), stolen bases (23) and walks (22), is second in RBI (29), hit by pitch (14) and doubles (8).

Junior outfielder Jordan Smith has a .299 average (44-for-147) with five home runs, 25 RBI and 36 runs scored in 37 starts in center field.  He is second in hits (44), home runs (5), runs scored (36) and stolen bases (16).

The Patriots have a team batting average of .274 through 39 games.

On the mound, graduate student Ben Shields (5-2, 4.33) leads the team in strikeouts (74) and is second in innings pitched (52.0) in nine starts.  He was selected Atlantic 10 Co-Pitcher of the Week after recording 14 strikeouts with just one walk over 7.0 innings in the Patriots' 7-6 win at Rhode Island on March 31. 

Sophomore Chad Gartland (4-2, 3.06) is first on the team in innings pitched (61.2) and is second in strikeouts (57) in 10 appearances with nine starts.  He was selected A-10 Pitcher of the Week after tossing his first career complete game and shutout in the Patriots 11-0 win over Dayton April 8.

Redshirt freshman Konner Eaton (1-2, 5.33) is third on the club in both innings (25.1) and (32).  Junior Christian Mracna (2-1, 2.38) paces the Patriots in appearances (16) and has notched three saves.

The Patriots have a team ERA of 4.86 through 39 games.

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 began 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 fell to James Madison, 10-2, in Harrisonburg, Va. (Feb. 21).  At the Swig and Swine College Classic in Charleston, S.C. (Feb. 24-26) the Patriots lost to Rutgers, 5-4 in 10 innings and fell to Canisius, 6-4.  The Patriots wrapped up the road stretch against William & Mary in Williamsburg, Va. (Feb. 28) with the Tribe scoring a pair of runs in the bottom of the ninth for a 4-3 victory.

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 played 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 began the homestand against Niagara with a four-game series (March 4-5).  The Patriots won both games of their Saturday doubleheader, 15-2 and 6-3.  The Purple Eagles won both games of the Sunday doubleheader, 8-4 and 7-2.  Mason fell to Georgetown, 18-13, in a lone midweek game (March 7). 

The Patriots swept their three-game series against St. Peter's.  Mason took both games of a doubleheader, 15-6 and 9-1 (March 11) and won the finale, 12-4 (March 12).  Mason then swept three games from Cornell.  The Patriots took both games of a doubleheader, 10-5 and 4-3 (March 18), and then won the final game, 15-4 (March 19) to extend their winning streak to seven games.

The Patriots dropped their midweek matchup against William & Mary, 16-10 (March 21).

The Patriots went 13-12 at home in 2022, including a mark of 8-4 against A-10 opponents.

Mason played a season-high nine straight games on the road from March 24 through April 5.  The Patriots were swept in a three-game series at No. 10 East Carolina in Greenville, N.C. (March 24-26).  The Pirates won by final scores of 11-3, 8-1 and 5-0. 

Mason topped Longwood, 13-6, at Buddy Bolding Stadium in Farmville, Va. (March 29).  In the first a-10 series of the season, the Patriots took two-of-three from Rhode Island at Bill Beck Field in Kingston, R.I.  The Patriots won the first game of a doubleheader, 7-6, while the Rams won the nightcap, 8-4 (March 31).  Mason won the series finale, 5-0, on a combined one-hitter (April 2).

Mason topped Georgetown, 5-4, in Washington, D.C. (April 4) and fell to Towson, 10-8, in Towson, Md. (April 5).

The Patriots are scheduled to play 11 games at home and seven on the road in April.

The Patriots dropped two of three to Dayton (April 7-9) with the Flyers winning the first game, 6-5 and the finale, 6-5.  The Patriots won the middle game of the series, 11-0.  Mason lost to Longwood, 10-5 at Spuhler Field (April 11) to wrap up a four-game homestand.

Mason traveled down I-95 to face VCU in Richmond, Va. (April 14-16) and dropped two-of-three games.  The Rams won the first game, 5-0 and the finale, 11-3, while the Patriots took the middle game of the series, 10-5.  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 returned home and sweep a three-game series from A-10 foe St. Bonaventure (April 21-23).  Mason swept a doubleheader with a 7-6 win in 11 innings in the first game and a 17-5 victoy in game two (April 21).  The Bonnies won the final game of the series, 4-3, in 11 innings (April 23).

Mason will play 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 MOUNT ST. MARY'S
 
Mount St. Mary's has an overall record of 20-18 including a mark of 6-6 in MAAC play.  The Mountaineers are 10-9 at home, 8-7 on the road and 2-2 in games played at a neutral site.

Last time out, the Mountaineers took two-of-three games against Maryland Eastern Shore this past weekend.  Mount St. Mary's won the first two games, 2-1 and 6-4, while UMES claimed the final game of the series, 5-4, on Sunday.

The Mountaineers have won seven of their last 10 games.

Junior outfielder Aiden Tierney has a .364 average (40-for-110) with two home runs, 13 RBI and 21 runs scored in 30 games with 28 starts.  Junior first baseman Shane Wockley is hitting .352 (37-for-105) with 13 home runs, 39 RBI and 26 runs scored in 37 games with 30 starts.  Junior infielder Scott Seeker is batting .344 (52-for-151) with 11 home runs, 31 RBI and 33 runs scored in 38 starts.
 
Mount St. Mary's has a team batting average of .37 through 38 games.

On the mound, senior Cooper Adams (7-1, 3.84) leads the team in innings pitched (63.1) and strikeouts (57) in 10 starts.  Senior Luke Pryor (1-4, 7.43) leads the club in appearances (21) and is second in innings pitched (46.0) and strikeouts (34).

The Mountaineers have a team ERA of 8.76 through 38 games.

PROBABLE STARTERS

Mason: TBD
Mount St. Mary's: TBD

STRIKE ZONE

In the last meeting between the Patriots and Mountaineers at Spuhler Field, Mason won a slugfest, 14-13 on May 1, 2019.  The two teams combined for 27 runs on 34 hits in the game.