Losing back-to-back games in the Colonial Athletic Association baseball tournament Friday was a blow to the NCAA tournament hopes of George Mason. But three anxious days later, the Patriots were rewarded Monday with their first NCAA berth since 2004.
Mason (42-12), seeded third, will play No. 2 South Carolina (38-21) in a four-team double-elimination tournament next weekend, which includes No. 4 Binghamton (29-20) and the top-seeded host, East Carolina (42-17).
Recommended Stories
Atlantic Coast Conference champion Virginia (43-12-1) will travel west, playing at Cal-Irvine. The No. 2 Cavaliers will open with No. 3 San Diego State (40-21) Friday at 7 p.m. and could face Aztecs’ ace Stephen Strasburg, expected to go No. 1 next month in the MLB Draft. The winner will face No. 1 Cal-Irvine (43-13) or No. 4 Fresno State (32-28).
Winners advance to Super Regional play the following weekend at sites yet to be determined. Mason is 1-10 all-time in five tournament appearances.
