FAIRFAX, Va. ? Led by a dominating effort from junior righthander Kevin Crum, 25th-ranked George Mason University (27-5, 8-2) jumped out to a 4-0 lead and posted a 12-0 Colonial Athletic Association victory over the Tigers (15-15, 3-4) in the opening game of their three-game weekend series at Spuhler Park on Friday afternoon. For the Tigers, it marked the first time they were shut out since May 1, 2007 when they dropped a 1-0 decision at Maryland. Towson had gone 98 games without being blanked.
The CAA-leading Patriots, who have won 23 of their last 25 games, have won eight games in a row. In addition, George Mason is 17-0 at home this season and has a 22-game winning streak at Spuhler Park.
In earning his fifth win of the season, Crum shut down the Tigers on three hits for the first seven innings. The Tigers, who came into the series with a .322 team batting average, managed only a first inning single by junior third baseman Steve Yarsinsky, an infield single by junior centerfielder Kevin Collins in the third and a fifth inning base hit by sophomore designated hitter Austin Harclerode.
Yarsinsky's single in the first inning enabled him to extend his hitting streak to 19 games.
After Harclerode led off the fifth inning with a single, Crum retired the next nine hitters he faced. In seven innings of work, Crum shut out Towson on three hits with two walks and four strikeouts.
The Patriots rallied for four runs with two outs in the bottom of the first inning, thanks to a pair of home runs. With two outs, senior leftfielder Scott Krieger lined a single to left. Then, junior first baseman Jason Bour blasted a two-run homer over the right field fence, giving the Patriots a 2-0 lead. Second baseman Ryan Soares kept the inning alive with a single before junior designated hitter Mark Hill belted his first home run of the season over the left field fence.
In the last of the second inning, the Patriots added two more runs against junior righthander Zach Umberger. With one out, rightfielder Ryan Uphouse reached base when he was hit by a pitch. With one out, junior catcher Chris Henderson drew a walk to give the Patriots two base runners. Then, Krieger smashed a triple to deep centerfield, scoring both runners to increase the Patriots' lead to 6-0.
After holding the Patriots scoreless for the next two innings, Umberger was touched for two runs in the fifth inning. A one-out double by Soares started the rally and then Hill drew a walk. A two-out single by shortstop Brent Weiss loaded the bases. Then, Uphouse lined a two-run single to left, driving in a pair of runs to make it 8-0. After the single by Uphouse, junior righthander John Schmeer relieved Umberger. He retired the side when Henderson grounded out to second base.
In the bottom of the sixth, George Mason added two more runs for a 10-0 advantage. Krieger led off the inning by drawing a walk. With two outs, Hill tripled to rightfield as Krieger came around to score. An infield single by third baseman Dan Palumbo enabled Hill to score the tenth run of the game before Schmeer ended the inning by retiring Uphouse on an infield popup.
With one out in the bottom of the seventh, Henderson blasted his eighth home run of the year, a solo shot over the centerfield fence, to give the Patriots an 11-0 lead.
Facing senior righthander Ben Reade in the eighth inning, the Tigers mounted their best threat of the game. Freshman rightfielder Ben Winter and senior shortstop Gary Helmick led off the inning with back-to-back walks. After Reade retired Kevin Collins on a foul popup, Yarsinsky lined out to third base. Senior first baseman Matt Collins loaded the bases when he reached on an infield single. But, Reade kept the shutout intact when he got junior catcher Max Kelly to ground into a force play at third base.
Schmeer allowed another run in the eighth when the Patriots loaded the bases on two walks and an infield single. When Schmeer walked Spencer Wiggins to force in a run, George Mason owned a 12-0 advantage.
In the ninth inning, freshman Brady Baxter almost prevented the Tigers from being shut out. He singled as a pinch hitter, went to second base on a passed ball and reached third on an infield grounder. However, Winter grounded out to end the game.
Hill led the Patriots as he reached base five times. He went 3-for-3 with two walks and had three RBI's. He also scored four runs.
Weiss had three base hits while Krieger, Soares and Uphouse had two hits each as the Patriots outhit Towson, 16-5.
The Tigers will try to even the series at one victory each when they face George Mason on Saturday at 2:00 p.m.
