The George Mason baseball team will compete as the fourth seed against fifth-seeded Rhode Island in the first round of the 2026 Atlantic 10 Baseball Championship on May 20 at Capital One Park in Tysons, Virginia. The game is scheduled for an 11 a.m. start and will be broadcast on ESPN+.
This matchup marks another chapter in a postseason rivalry between the Patriots and Rams, with George Mason leading the all-time series 14-10 but having lost to Rhode Island in last year’s championship final. The winner of this opening game will advance to play top-seeded Saint Joseph’s, while the loser will play later that evening against either VCU or Davidson.
George Mason finished its regular season with a record of 28-24 overall and an 18-12 mark within conference play. The team enters its sixth Atlantic 10 Championship appearance in ten seasons under head coach Shawn Camp, who is now in his fourth year leading the program. This season, George Mason has won eight out of nine conference series and holds second place behind Saint Joseph’s in conference standings.
Rhode Island ended its regular season at 23-29 overall and was led offensively by senior utility player Jack Hopko and junior infielder Reece Moroney. On the mound, Joe Sabbath led with innings pitched while Jake Cullen recorded most strikeouts for the Rams.
Key players for George Mason include senior shortstop Owen Clyne—named a semifinalist for the College Baseball Foundation’s Brooks Wallace Award—and sophomore outfielder Lucas Alberti, both starting all games this season. Graduate student Luciano Terilli also contributed significantly at bat.
The championship tournament features three games daily from Wednesday through Friday, concluding with Saturday’s title match. The event winner secures an automatic bid to NCAA Regionals.
