The Patriots had an up-and-down week, winning two of five games at home. George Mason split a two-game series with Connecticut, winning 7-0 Monday before falling 5-0 on Tuesday, then it lost two of three games to Colonial Athletic Association rival Richmond over the weekend. The Patriots split a doubleheader with the Spiders Saturday, winning 14-8 before dropping a 6-5 decision in the second game, then Richmond won Sunday's contest, 4-2, to leave George Mason with an overall record of 10-11, 2-4 in the CAA.
Freshman right-hander Kevin Kawecki pitched a five-hit shutout to lead George Mason to victory over visiting Connecticut Monday at Raymond H. "Hap" Spuhler Field. A native of New Britain, CT, Kawecki scattered five hits, walked one and struck out nine as he pitched the first complete game of his young George Mason career in only his second start. The Patriots gave Kawecki all the support he would need in the bottom of the first inning as sophomore Trevor Haas (South Lakes HS), junior Mike Colangelo (Hylton HS) and senior Rick Visconti hit consecutive singles to score one run and Colangelo scored on a passed ball for a 2-0 lead. George Mason added three runs in the third, with two scoring on Colangelo's double, and it scored single runs in the sixth and eighth innings for the 7-0 final.
The Patriots were not as lucky Tuesday as they managed just one hit in a rain-shortened six-inning contest. Sophomore Mike Huller took the loss while going the distance.
In the first game against Richmond Saturday, George Mason scored nine runs in the first three innings to jump on the Spiders. After Richmond plated a run in the top of the first, sophomore Scott Morrison led off the bottom of the inning with his second home run, sparking the Patriots to five runs. Leading 9-4 by the end of three innings, George Mason added four runs in the seventh, three on Colangelo's third homer, to put the game away. Kawecki (2-1) again was the winning pitcher, entering in relief of junior starter Shawn Camp in the third and going the rest of the way to earn the victory.
In the second game, the Spiders took advantage of four Patriot errors in the first three innings to build a 6-0 lead. George Mason responded with four runs in the bottom of the third and one in the fourth, but Richmond's Mike Smith shut down the Patriots over the final three innings to earn the victory. Senior Scott Lavender (3-1) pitched his second straight complete game while taking the loss.
On Sunday, the Patriots grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second as junior Andy Devitt hit a one-out solo home run. The Spiders, however, came back with three runs in the top of the third to take a 3-1 lead, but Devitt hit his second homer of the game and the season in the fourth. Richmond added an insurance run in the seventh for the final margin. Huller (1-4) again was the tough-luck loser for George Mason, allowing just three hits, walking four and striking out two in 6 innings.
Morrison leads the Patriots in hitting with a .375 batting average and adds 16 RBI, while Colangelo is batting .373 with team highs of four triples and 25 RBI to go along with seven doubles and three homers. Haas checks in at .357 and paces the Patriots with eight stolen bases, and Devitt is batting .340 with a team-high eight doubles and adds 15 RBI. Lavender leads the pitchers with a 3.12 earned run average.
George Mason returns to action Wednesday as it travels to Annapolis, MD, to meet the Naval Academy for a 2:30 p.m. contest. The Patriots return home to host New York Tech Thursday and Friday, with games both days at 2:30 p.m., before heading to Williamsburg for a three-game CAA series at William & Mary over the weekend. The Patriots and Tribe meet in a doubleheader Saturday at 1 p.m. and in a single game Sunday at 1 p.m.
Baseball Contact: Ben Trittipoe (993-3263)