April 23, 2003
Box Score
FAIRFAX, VA ... Senior Evan Howard set a school record and George Mason set a team mark as the Patriots held off a late Georgetown rally to defeat the Hoyas, 10-9, in a non-conference college baseball game Wednesday afternoon at Raymond H. "Hap" Spuhler Field.
George Mason improved to 25-12 overall as it won for the 21st time in its last 27 games, while Georgetown lost its sixth straight game to fall to 9-29. The victory was the 11th straight for the Patriots at Spuhler Field this season, setting a school record as they surpassed the previous mark of 10 consecutive home victories from March 22-April 9, 1986. Mason is 19-3 in Fairfax this season.
Howard set an individual record as he hit two doubles to become Mason's all-time leader. He now has 55 career doubles, surpassing the mark of 53 held jointly by Ralph Schmidt and Eddie Jordan.
Georgetown got on the scoreboard first as junior Michael Lombardi (2-4) hit a two-run home run, his second of the year, in the top of the first inning. Mason responded by scoring a run without a hit in the bottom of the first, then the Patriots scored five runs in the third inning to take a 6-2 lead. Howard (2-4, two runs batted in) hit the first of his two doubles to drive in two runs, then junior Nick Shimer (2-4) drilled a two-out, three-run homer (his sixth of the season) to left-center field. The Patriots added three more runs in the fifth, two of which were unearned, to take a 9-2 lead as sophomore Adam Innerst (2-4) had a tun-scoring triple (his second of the game) and freshman Nick Prosise followed with a double.
The Hoyas began to get back into the game in the sixth as the first five batters reached base. Freshman Timmy Jones scored on a bases-loaded balk before sophomore Andrew Cleary (2-3) cleared the bases with his 10th home run of the season to pull Georgetown within 9-6.
Mason got a run back in the bottom of the sixth as junior Bruce Baldwin had a run-scoring single, but the Hoyas scored three runs in the eighth to close within 10-9. One run scored on a single by sophomore Billy Quinn and a second came home on an error before senior Robert O'Hare drove in the third with a pinch-hit double. George Mason sophomore Stacen Gant came on in the ninth inning and retired the side in order for his second save to preserve the Patriot victory.
Senior Marcus Davis (3-1) picked up the win for George Mason, allowing six runs on five hits in five-plus innings. Sophomore Tyler Abbott (0-1) took the loss for Georgetown as he allowed four hits, four walks and six runs in 2 2/3 innings. Freshman Drew Dargen added two hits for the Hoyas.
George Mason travels to James Madison for a three-game Colonial Athletic Association series this weekend. The Patriots (8-3 in the CAA) and the Dukes (7-4 CAA) meet at 3 p.m. Friday, at 2 p.m. Saturday and at 1 p.m. Sunday.
