Baseball Falls to George Mason

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May 4, 1999

FAIRFAX, Va. – Senior Trevor Haas and junior Greg Filsoneach went 4-4 at the plate to lead George Mason to a 15-9 victory overVirginia in a non-conference college baseball game Tuesday at Raymond H.’Hap’ Spuhler Field.

George Mason’s victory was its second straight and ninth in its last 11games as it improved to 24-20-1, while Virginia lost its third straightgame to fall to 19-33.

Filson led the Patriots with six runs batted in, including a two-runhome run in the first inning, and Haas drove in three with a pair ofsingles and two doubles. Junior Brian Forthofer and sophomores EddieJordan and Derek Morrison each added two hits to George Mason*s 17-hitattack.

Virginia scored two runs in the top of the first inning as freshmanDavid Stone (4-4, 2 RBI) and sophomore Hunter Wyant (3-5, 2 RBI) eachhad run-scoring singles, but Filson tied the score in the bottom of theinning with his fifth home run. The Cavaliers again took a two-run leadin the top of the second as junior Tim LaVigne drove in a run with agroundout and sophomore Jon Benick (2-5, 2 RBI) brought home one with asingle.

George Mason tied the score at 4-4 in the third as Filson singled todrive in two runs, but senior Julian Gonzalez hit his seventh home runin the fourth to put the Cavaliers back in front 5-4. The Patriots thenblew the game open with six runs in the fourth to take a 10-5 lead, withJordan providing a two-run double and Haas contributing a two-runsingle. The teams traded runs in the sixth and sophomore Mark Rueffert(2-5) hit his second homer in the seventh to pull Virginia within 11-7,but the Patriots scored three in the bottom of the frame, with Filsonsmacking a two-run single, to push the margin back to 14-7.

Benick added his ninth home run in the top of the eighth to record his81st hit of the season, setting a Virginia single-season record forhits. Wyant added a run-scoring single to pull the Cavaliers within 14-9before sophomore Scott Yeager drove in George Mason*s final run with agroundout in the eighth.

Sophomore Shawn Stiffler (2-4) earned the win for the Patriots withfour solid innings of middle relief, and sophomore Craig Haney pitched ascoreless ninth inning. LaVigne (1-3) started and took the loss for theCavaliers.

George Mason travels to Maryland-Baltimore County Wednesday at 3 p.m.

LINESCORE

Virginia 220 101 120 — 9 15 1George Mason 202 601 31x — 15 17 0

LaVigne, Marinak (4), Keiper (7) and Rueffert; Hardman, Stiffler (5),Haney (9) and Yeager.
WP – Stiffler (2-4). LP – LaVigne (1-3).
HR – Filson (GM), his 5th, one on in 1st; Gonzalez (V), his 7th, none onin 4th; Rueffert (V), his 2nd, none on in 7th; Benick (V), his 9th, noneon in 8th.