Live Game Blog – George Mason

Hoosiers face host Chanticleers in Conway, SC

By Carl James @jovian34 February 18th, 2024

Bottom 9th: Hoosiers – 9; Patriots – 3 (FINAL)

Tonghini is trying to complete the save and gets a quick groundout on the first pitch of the inning. The second batter flies out. It’s a 1-2-3 inning and the Hoosiers win.

Top 9th: Hoosiers – 9; Patriots – 3

Brenczewski rips a single up the middle to lead off the inning. Indiana is in search of bit more insurance. Wiggins draws a 1-out walk. He’s been on base in both of his plate appearances. Burckel drops a great bunt to third base which prompts an errant throw that allows Brenczewski to score. The infield comes in after a pitching change, but they are not needed as a breaking ball gets Mathison looking for the second out. George Mason makes another pitching change to get a right hander in to face Pyne with two runners in scoring position. Britt Yount is the new pitcher. He saw 21 innings of action in 2023 with a 4.29 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP.

Bottom 8th: Hoosiers – 8; Patriots – 3

Tonghini gives up a lead-off single to start the inning. He’s throwing an 89-90 MPH fastball and mixing in a pair of off-speed offerings. Mercer has commented that the spin on his pitches are significant. He freezes the last batter of the inning with a 90 MPH inside fastball for strike three.

Top 8th: Hoosiers – 8; Patriots – 3

Andrew Wiggins pinch hits and wastes no time getting his first college hit, an opposite field double to lead off the inning. Carter Mathison belts a 3-run shot to get the lead back to five runs. Pyne adds a single which prompts a Patriot pitching change to lefty Luke Goodyear a transfer from Gardner Webb. He gets a strikeout and is immediately replaced by right hander Ryan Edmonds who had a WHIP of 1.5 in 2023 in 10 innings with a 7.20 ERA.

Bottom 7th: Hoosiers – 5; Patriots – 3

Julian Tonghini is the new Indiana pitcher. He induces a quick groundout, a strikeout, and a lineout to Mathison in centerfield.

Top 7th: Hoosiers – 5; Patriots – 3

Manaker has been breezing through the Hoosier lineup. Devin Taylor walks to lead off the inning. After two balls to Brock Tibbitts, George Mason wants a conference on the mound. Indiana has an opportunity to pad the lead. Tibbitts walks on four pitches. Logan Rumberg is the new Patriot pitcher. He saw 28 innings of action in 2023 with a 4.13 ERA and only 1.24 WHIP so statistically, George Mason has thrown better arms progressively in this game.

Cerny grounds into a fielder’s choice. Brenczewski strikes out on three pitches. Morgan Colopy gets ahead 3-0, but ends up grounding out to short stop. We have a close game here in Conway.

Bottom 6th: Hoosiers – 5; Patriots – 3

Seti Manase retires his fifth straight Patriot before surrendering a double. A short ground ball is well played by Manase but a collision at first base leads to an arm injury for AJ Sheppard. It looks like he is holding his glove wrist as he walks off the field. Joey Brenczewski replaces Shepard as the first baseman. The runner from second scores.

Bottom 4th: Hoosiers – 5; Patriots – 2

Ethan Phillips is starting the fourth inning having only thrown 34 pitches. He will try to maintain that efficiency as he faces batters for the second time through the order. Phillips plunks Jordan Smith on a full count to give the Patriots a base runner. Smith tries to steal second and Brock Tibbitts guns him down for the first out. Phillips then plunks Connor Dykstra. Phillips is struggling with command as he gets into another full count and walks a runner into scoring position, prompting a visit from pitching coach Dustin Glant. Phillips is now up to 53 pitches with only one out. Still no activity in the Hoosier bullpen. Socrates Bardatsos is the first Patriot with a hit, an RBI single that cuts the Hoosier lead to four. James Quinn-Irons smacks an RBI single of his own. Seti Manase is now throwing in the Indiana bullpen. Phillips walks nine-hole hitter Evan Blanchard and Jeff Mercer goes to Seti Manase. Manase ends the threat with a groundout.

Top 4th: Hoosiers – 5; Patriots – 0

Kyle Menaker is the new George Mason pitcher. He had a 1.59 WHIP in 2023 with a 6.75 ERA on 22 innings pitched. He’s sitting 90MPH on his fastball. Pyne and Taylor both ground out and Tibbitts flies out for a very quick 1-2-3 inning.

Bottom 3rd: Hoosiers – 5; Patriots – 0

Phillips gets a quick flyout to right. He then gets behind 3-1 and ⭐Pyne makes a great play on a hard hit ball. Cerny bobbles a grounder and just gets beat out for an error. A groundout to the right side ends the inning with no damage.

Top 3rd: Hoosiers – 5; Patriots – 0

Shepard goes yard two games in a row. Morgan Colopy makes in back-to-back jacks! Hoosiers lead by 5. After a mound visit, the next three Hoosiers go down in order. Martins has now thrown 77 pitches in 3 innings.

Bottom 2nd: Hoosiers – 2; Patriots – 0

Ethan Phillips is throwing a diverse mix of pitches, including a mid-80s changeup. He goes 1-2-3 all on swinging strikeouts.

Top 2nd: Hoosiers – 2; Patriots – 0

Brandon Burckel strikes out. Carter Mathison grounds right into the shift between first and second. Josh Pyne legs out an infield single and Taylor follows it up with a single to right field bringing up Tibbitts with a runner in scoring position, but Tibbitts leaves them stranded with two outs. After a couple of days of getting pounded (gave up 11 home runs to Duke), Patriot pitching has not surrendered an earned run to this potent Hoosier offense in two innings.

Bottom 1st: Hoosiers – 2; Patriots – 0

Ethan Phillips is mixing up his pitches early. Fastballs at 88 and 90-91 with a 79-80 off-speed offering. He gets one strikeout and works around an HBP with a couple of quick contact outs.

Top 1st: Hoosiers – 2; Patriots – 0

Carter Mathison gets on via an error on the George Mason shortstop (dropped pop-up). Pyne follows that up with a single. Taylor drives in Mathison with an RBI single. Tibbitts goes down swinging. Tyler works a full count, but pops up to the first baseman, leaving Pyne at third with two outs. AJ Shepard is walked on four pitches to load the bases for Morgan Colopy who draws a full count walk to drive in Pyne. Cal Sefcik grounds into a fielders choice to end the inning.

Pregame:

George Mason will be starting pitcher Nick Martins. Martins had 11 appearances last year with a 1-1 record and 9.43 ERA and 2.14 WHIP.

Starters:

Sophomore righty Ethan Phillips will get the ball for IU. Freshman Cal Sefcik gets the start at DH. Shepard moves to first base and Brock Tibbitts will catch.

Links:

Live Video: es.pn/3SGkxdc
Live Audio: bit.ly/IUAudio
Live Stats: bit.ly/488Fun4