On Wednesday, baseball will return to the diamond to host a doubleheader vs. Cornell. Announced on GoMason.com, the pair of games will be back-to-back seven inning tilts.
Last Friday, the Patriots welcomed a national ranked VCU squad to town before sending them home with a 6-1 defeat. Due to rainy conditions, though, it was the only game played in the scheduled three-game series.
This will mark the first time Mason and Cornell have squared off since 2003 when the green and gold defeated the Big Red twice to start the season.
Cornell at a glance
The famed Ivy League institution is 8-8 on the season with a 7-3 record away from Ithaca. Most recently, the Big Red split a two-game series with Dartmouth.
Earlier in the season, Cornell took three of four from a slumping George Washington squad.
In the series finale, an 8-1 victory, senior shortstop Tom D’Alessandro recorded a career-high four RBIs. The 2013 All-Ivy League Honorable Mention is batting .283 on the season with eight steals and seven total runs knocked in.
Junior Ryan Karl brings the thunder for the Cornell lineup, as he has five homeruns and 18 RBIs in his first season at Cornell after transferring from the University of Louisville.
At the mound, six different pitchers have at least one victory, but none have more than two.
A stat to note against a lethal Mason pitching staff—Cornell is 4-6 when scoring two runs or less.
Mason at a glance
The Patriots enter Wednesday’s action 14-8 on the season with an 11-7 record vs. non-conference opponents.
In the 6-1 victory over VCU, seven different players recorded a hit led by catcher Ray Toto (3-for-4) and second baseman Chris Cook (two RBIs).
The senior is now one of seven Patriots with at least 10 RBIs on the season as Mason looks to continue a balanced offensive attack.
Entering the contest the Rams were red-hot, winners of eight in a row and had produced 67 runs during the stretch. They looked poised to pick up right where they had left off against St. Bonaventure’s (27 runs in three games) after scoring a run in the top of the first, but it would be the lone highlight on offense.
In eight innings pitcher Anthony Montefusco surrendered one run on 11 hits and struck out five.
For the season Montefusco is now 5-1 with an ERA of 0.97—33rd best in the country.
Mason Stat Leaders
Average: Ray Toto (.373)
Hits: Josh Leemhuis (31)
Homeruns: Chris Cook (3)
RBIs: Blaise Fernandez/Luke Willis (15)
Stolen Bases: Luke Willis (10)
Wins: Anthony Montefusco (5)
ERA: Jared Gaynor (0.70)
Strikeouts: Anthony Montefusco (44)
Saves: Mark Maksimow (4)
