BASEBALL vs. Saint Joseph's
WHEN: Thursday, May 18 (3 p.m.); Friday, May 19 (2 p.m.); Saturday, May 20 (1 p.m.)
WHERE: Spuhler Field | Fairfax, Va.
RECORDS: George Mason (28-22, 12-8 Atlantic 10); Saint Joseph's (25-21-1, 15-6 Atlantic 10)
ALL-TIME SERIES: Saint Joseph's leads, 12-7
LAST MEETING: The Hawks won two-of-three April 8-10, 2022 at Smithson Field in Philadelphia, Pa.
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FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason baseball team wraps up the regular season with a weekend series against Saint Joseph's beginning Thursday with the first pitch scheduled for 3 p.m. at Spuhler Field.

On Saturday, the Patriots will recognize Ryan Archibald, Connor Dykstra, Nolan Lamere, Craig Miles, Jr., Ryan Peterson, Kyle Smith, Brett Stallings and South Trimble on Senior Day prior to the 1 p.m. first pitch against the Hawks.

Last time out, the Patriots downed the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, 4-3, on Tuesday at the Parker Athletic Complex in Salisbury, Md.

The Patriots have won six straight games and 11 of their last 14.

Mason finished 14-11 on the road this season, tied for the most road victories since the 2006 campaign.

The Patriots are 14-9 at Spuhler Field with three games remaining.  Mason won seven straight at home March 11-19, outscoring opponents by a combined score of 76-24.

Mason has an all-time record of 7-12 against Saint Joseph's.  Last season, the Hawks won two-of-three April 8-10, 2022 at Smithson Field in Philadelphia, Pa.  Saint Joseph's won the first game, 10-9 in 11 innings and the finale, 14-2.  The Patriots took the middle game, 9-3.

The Patriots rank fourth in Division I baseball in stolen bases (138 in 50 games).  Only VMI (185), Mississippi Valley (156) and Louisiana (153) have more.  Senior infielder South Trimble is tied for 36th in the NCAA with 25 stolen bases. 

Mason is tied for 24th nationally in hit by pitch (90 in 50 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).

Trimble is hitting .319 (59-for-185) with three home runs, 32 RBI and 48 runs scored in 49 starts.  He leads the team in hits (59), runs scored (48), stolen bases (25) and walks (31), is tied for second in doubles (12) and tied for third in RBI (32).

Sophomore Infielder/outfielder Reece Woody is hitting .317 (45-for-142) with three home runs, 39 RBI and 28 runs scored in 42 games with 41 starts.  He paces the Patriots in RBI (39), is third in doubles (8), fourth in hits (45) and is seventh in runs scored (28).

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 Derek Wood is hitting .281 (47-for-167) with 24 RBI and 31 runs scored in 50 games with 48 starts.  He is second on the team in stolen bases (23) and walks (20), fourth in hits (47), sixth in runs scored (31) and seventh in RBI (24). 

Junior outfielder Jordan Smith has a .277 average (52-for-188) with six home runs, 29 RBI and 42 runs scored in 48 starts in center field.  He is second in home runs (6) and runs scored (42), tied for second in hits (52) and doubles (12), third in stolen bases (20) and sixth in RBI (29).

The Patriots have a team batting average of .274 through 50 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 second in appearances (19).  Graduate student Mason Posey (1-3, 5.71) leads the club with 20 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 4.68 through 50 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 downed Maryland-Eastern Shore, 4-3, in the final non-conference game of the season 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 played 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 played eight league series, four at home and four on the road.  Home series against A-10 foes included 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 visited 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 SAINT JOSPEH'S
 
Saint Joseph's has an overall record of 25-21-1, including a mark of 15-6 in Atlantic 10 play.  The Hawks are 20-5-1 at home, 5-14 on the road and 0-2 in games played at a neutral site.

Last time out, Saint Joseph's fell to Villanova, 8-4, on Tuesday in Plymouth Township, Pa.

The Hawks are 13-2-1 in their last 16 games.

Sophomore outfielder Ryan Cesarini has a .393 average (68-for-173) with eight home runs, 50 RBI and 45 runs scored in 46 starts.  Graduate student infielder Nate Thomas is batting .361 (52-for-144) with 10 home runs, 47 RBI and 38 runs scored in 40 starts.

Junior outfielder Brett Callahan is hitting .335 (66-for-197) with 10 home runs, 51 RBI and 54 runs scored in 47 starts.  Junior catcher Justin Igoe has a .317 average (40-for-126) with three home runs, 33 RBI and 27 runs scored in 38 starts.

Saint Joseph's has a team batting average of .302 through 47 games. 

On the mound, freshman Will McCausland (5-2, 4.64) leads the club in innings pitched (66.0) and is second in strikeouts (63) in 12 starts.  Freshman Ryan DeSanto (3-1, 5.01) leads the team in strikeouts (65) and is third in innings (46.2) in 12 appearances with nine starts.  Junior Domenic Picone (4-5, 4.20) is second on the Hawks in innings (60.0) and strikeouts (59) in 12 starts.

The Hawks have a team ERA of 6.52 through 47 games.

PROBABLE STARTERS

Thursday
Mason: LHP Ben Shields (6-3, 4.62)
Saint Joseph's: RHP Will McCausland (5-2, 4.64)
Friday
Mason: RHP Chad Gartland (6-2, 3.59)
Saint Joseph's: LHP Ryan DeSanto (3-1, 5.01)
Saturday
Mason: LHP Konner Eaton (1-3, 5.30)
Saint Joseph's: TBD

STRIKE ZONE

Mason defeated Saint Joseph's, 5-4, in the second round of the 2014 Atlantic 10 Baseball Championship on May 22, 2014 in St. Louis, Mo.
 
The Patriots trailed three times in the game before taking a 5-3 lead in the bottom of the eighth inning.  John Williams threw seven innings and earned his fifth win of the season, while reliever Taylor Hunt picked up the save.

The Patriots went on to defeat VCU twice, 3-0 in the semifinals and 3-2 in the title game, to capture the A-10 Championship in their inaugural season in the conference.