April 27, 2008

Box Score

Newark, Del. - Dan Gerjets had a masterful start for the Patriots on Sunday and the George Mason baseball team broke a scoreless tie with a run in the top of the eighth and then added insurance runs in the ninth as Mason defeated Delaware, 5-2 in Colonial Athletic Association action. With the win, Mason (22-21, 14-8) improved to better than .500 for the first time all season.

Gerjets (5-1) went eight and one-third innings, allowing four hits and three walks while striking out nine and taking a shutout into the ninth. In making his first start since being hit in the head by a batted ball on April 23, the sophomore retired the side five times and did not allow a runner past second until the ninth. From the fourth inning through the eighth, he retired 13 straight batters.

Mason's first run came in the eighth. Justin Bour led off with a walk, Scott Krieger singled and after a sacrifice bunt by Josh Steinberg, Mark Hill was intentionally walked to load the bases. The game's first run scored on a Brent Weiss walk.

In the ninth, Chris Henderson reached on a fielder's choice and with one out, Bour doubled to make it 2-0. Krieger was intentionally walked and both he and Bour advabced on a Steinberg ground out. Hill followed with a two-run single. After Hill stole second, Weiss singled to bring home Hill for a 5-0 lead.

In the bottom of the ninth, Todd Menchaca singled, Kyle Davis drew a one-out walk and Josh Dean singled to get Delaware (15-26, 7-14) on the board. After Scott Shockley walked, Gerjets gave way to Ryan Brecko who got a sacrifice fly and a ground out to end the game and pick up his second save of the year.

Weiss was 2 for 3 with two RBI, Hill was 1 for 3 with two RBI, Bour was 1 for 3 with an RBI and two runs, and Krieger was 2 for 2 with a run. Josh Steinberg had a nine-game hitting streak snapped.

The Patriots' game with Coppin State, originally scheduled for Monday at 3 p.m., has been canceled. The Patriots will next play on Tuesday at home against Georgetown at 3 p.m.