April 3, 2004
FAIRFAX, VA-- George Mason swept a Colonial Athletic Association doubleheader from the Monarchs Saturday afternoon, 4-3 in game one behind the pitching of Eric Gibbons and Jason Mills, then 7-4 as Chris Looze slammed a three-run walk-off homer in game two.
ODU is now 12-15 overall, and 2-3 in the CAA, while George Mason is 17-9 overall and5-0 in the CAA.
In game one Eric Gibbons out dueled ODU's Justin Verlander to pick up his third winof the season with save hellp from Jason Mills. Keith Hahn led off the third with a double,then scored on an error. In the seventh Brandon Carter scored on Evan Chipman's double.ODU's final run came in the eighth on a solo homer by Steven Harris.
George Mason was led by Jeff Palumbo who scored two runs on RBI groundout by RobbyJacobsen and singled by Chris Looze. Jacobsen also led off the fourth with a solohomer and doubled home Nick Shimer.
Justin Verlander pitched seven innings with nine strikeouts, and only two walks.Keith Hahn, Steven Harris and Brandon Carter each had two hits for ODU.
In game two, ODU starting pitcher James Burok had allowed only two runs, solo homersby Adam Innerts and Bruce Baldwin. With ODU leading 4-2 in the fifth, after a two-outerror,Looze singled home Jeff Palumbo to tie the game.
In the bottom of the seventh Matt Cooksey and Palumbo walked. With one out Loozehomered off Donnie Smith to win the game. It was Smith's first loss of the season.Eric Mesa led ODU with two hits and two runs scored.
The two teams play the third and final game of the series on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.