Patriots Blank Terps, 11-0
6/21/1999 8:00:00 AM | Baseball
FAIRFAX, Va.-- George Mason scored five runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to break the game open and cruised to an 11-0 victory over Maryland in a non-conference college baseball game Tuesday afternoon at Raymond H. *Hap* Spuhler Field. The victory was the fifth straight for George Mason, which improved to 12-13, while Maryland dropped its third straight game as it fell to 8-17-1.
The five-run outburst in the bottom of the fourth gave the Patriots a 7-0 lead and was fueled by a grand slam by sophomore Mark Gibbs, his fourth home run of the season. Freshman Derek Morrison led George Mason*s 15-hit attack with three hits, while Gibbs, junior Trevor Haas, junior Damon Smith, senior Lee Kansteiner and junior Aaron Lough each added two hits.
Sophomore Mike Steller (3-1) continued his outstanding pitching this season as he allowed just three hits, walked two and struck out a career-high nine batters in eight innings for the Patriots. Steller lowered his Colonial Athletic Association-leading earned run average to 1.80, and he has 44 strikeouts in 45 innings while walking just six. Senior Chris Aronson pitched the ninth for George Mason, while junior Mike Wooden (1-4) took the loss for the Terrapins.
George Mason takes to the road for its next CAA series at UNC Wilmington this weekend. The Patriots and Seahawks meet in a doubleheader Saturday at 4 p.m. and a single game Sunday at 1 p.m.
LINESCORE
Maryland 000 000 000 -- 0 3 4 George Mason 011 510 30x -- 11 15 2
Wooden, Hammond (4) and Bronowicz; Steller, Aronson (9) and Lough. WP - Steller (3-1). LP - Wooden (1-4). HR - Gibbs (GM), 4th, three on.
