BASEBALL at Maryland Eastern Shore
WHEN: Tuesday, May 16 (3 p.m.)
WHERE: Henry Parker Athletic Complex | Salisbury, Md.
RECORDS: George Mason (27-22, 12-8 Atlantic 10); Maryland Eastern Shore (16-33, 12-15 NEC)
ALL-TIME SERIES: George Mason leads, 5-0
LAST MEETING: The two teams were scheduled to meet on May 7, 2013 at Spuhler Field but the game was canceled.
LIVE STATS
FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason baseball team plays its final midweek game of the season against the University of Maryland Eastern Shore on Tuesday with the first pitch scheduled for 3 p.m. at the Henry Parker Athletic Complex in Salisbury, Md.
Last time out, the Patriots completed a three-game sweep over George Washington with a 9-5 win on Sunday at Barcroft Park in Arlington, Va.
The Patriots have won five straight games and 10 of their last 13.
The Patriots rank fifth in Division I baseball in stolen bases (135 in 49 games). Only VMI (185), Mississippi Valley (154), Louisiana (153) and Wofford (137) have more. Senior infielder
South Trimble is tied for 32nd in the NCAA with 25 stolen bases.
Mason is 21st nationally in hit by pitch (90 in 49 games) with sophomore catcher
Connor Dykstra tied for fourth in the NCAA (24 times in 46 games).
Freshman outfielder
James Quinn-Irons has a .380 average (52-for-131) with four home runs, 32 RBI and 37 runs scored in 37 games with 36 starts. He is tied for second on the club in hits (52), is third in home runs (4) and runs scored (37) and tied for third in RBI (32).
Sophomore Infielder/outfielder
Reece Woody is hitting .321 (45-for-140) with three home runs, 38 RBI and 28 runs scored in 41 games with 40 starts. He paces the Patriots in RBI (38), is third in hits (43) and doubles (8) and is sixth in runs scored (28).
Trimble is hitting .320 (58-for-181) with three home runs, 32 RBI and 48 runs scored in 48 starts. He leads the team in hits (58), runs scored (48), stolen bases (24) and walks (30), is tied for second in doubles (12) and tied for third in RBI (32).
Dykstra is batting .283 (43-for-152) with eight home runs, 35 RBI and 36 runs scored in 46 starts. He leads the club in home runs (8), doubles (15) and hit by pitch (24), is second in RBI (35) and fourth in runs scored (36).
Junior outfielder
Jordan Smith has a .281 average (52-for-185) with six home runs, 29 RBI and 42 runs scored in 47 starts in center field. He is second in home runs (6) and runs scored (46), tied for second in hits (52) and doubles (12), third in stolen bases (19) and sixth in RBI (29).
The Patriots have a team batting average of .274 through 49 games.
On the mound, graduate student
Ben Shields (6-3, 4.62) leads the team and is tied for 29th in the NCAA in strikeouts (91). He is second on the club in innings pitched (64.1) in 13 starts. Shields 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 (6-2, 3.59) is first on the team in innings pitched (77.2) and is second in strikeouts (71) in 13 appearances with 11 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 (1-3, 5.61) is third on the club in both innings (35.2) and (46).
Junior
Christian Mracna (2-1, 2.49) paces the Patriots in saves (4) and is tied for first in appearances (19). Graduate student
Mason Posey (1-3, 5.71) has also made 19 appearances. With his outing against the Colonials on May 13, Posey became Mason's all-time leader in appearances with 75.
The Patriots have a team ERA of 4.73 through 49 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 played 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.
Mason returned to Spuhler Field for a seven-game homestand. Mason won the series against A-10 foe St. Bonaventure (April 21-23), sweeping a doubleheader, 7-6 in 11 innings and 17-5 (April 21) before falling in the final game of the series, 4-3 in 11 innings (April 23).
The Patriots then topped Mount St. Mary's (April 25), 3-1, in a midweek non-conference contest. Mason wrapped up the month splitting a doubleheader against Richmond (April 29). The Patriots won the first game, 4-3, and dropped the second game, 7-0.
The Patriots played eight straight on the road to begin the month of May. Mason traveled to meet Navy in a midweek matchup (May 3) and the Patriots posted a 4-1 win. Mason took won its series against Fordham in Bronx, N.Y. (May 5-7). The Patriots dropped the first game, 2-1, then downed the Rams 10-5 and 11-10.
The Patriots swept a three-game series in the Revolutionary Rivalry against the Colonials in Washington, D.C. (May 12-14) by final scores of 8-7, 13-6 and 9-5. Mason ends the stretch of eight straight road games against Maryland-Eastern Shore in Salisbury, 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 MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE
The University of Maryland Eastern Shore has an overall record of 16-33, including a mark of 12-15 in Northeast Conference play. The Hawks are 7-17 at home and 9-16 on the road.
Last weekend, the Hawks dropped three games at Stonehill College in North Easton, Mass. By final scores of 7-6, 14-2 and 13-2. UMES is 1-7 in its last eight games.
Graduate student outfielder Brantley Cutler has a .348 average (64-for-184) with eight home runs, 46 RBI and 29 runs scored. Junior first baseman Alex McCoy is hitting .257 (43-for-167) with three home runs, 16 RBI and 32 runs scored.
UMES has a team batting average of .237 through 49 games.
On the mound, graduate student Evan Nibblett (7-3, 3.65) leads the club in wins (7) and is second in both innings pitched (79.0) and strikeouts (54). Senior Noah Covington (4-8, 5.38) leads the team in innings (87.0) and strikeouts (59) and is second in wins (4). Junior Nick Gatton (2-4, 6.57) leads the team in appearances (24) and is third in innings (49.1) and strikeouts (46).
The Hawks have a team ERA of 6.28 through 49 games.
PROBABLE STARTERS
Mason: TBD
UMES: TBD
