James Madison Loses 7-4 To George Mason In Non-Conference Baseball Game For Eighth Straight Loss

James Madison baseball is reeling. They lost their eighth game in a row today, 7-4, to rival George Mason. This was a road gam. However, it seems not to matter where the Dukes play. These two teams hooked up on March 2 with George Mason winning 10-2, so this result was not that surprising.

This article dives into the psychology of losing in baseball. It is said that there is no such thing as momentum in baseball, with it being only as good as your starting pitcher. Each game should be a new game, and streaks should not happen, but they do, often. So, that begs the question, what explains streaks in baseball?

James Madison-George Mason Baseball Game Summary

James Madison played at George Mason today. The game was a wash, rinse, repeat type of effort from the Dukes. They were winning this game 4-0 heading into the bottom of the fourth and 4-1 after four full innings. Then, George Mason scored five runs in the fifth inning. That was it. JMU was shut out for the rest of the game, and George Mason scored a run to win 7-4. That sent JMU to its eighth loss in a row.

Streaks

We hear a great deal about streaks in baseball. In fact, some of the most iconic happenings in the sport have taken place in baseball. Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak is maybe the most famous streak in the sport. James Madison is now on a losing streak, and teams go on winning and losing streaks all the time. It is said there is no such thing as momentum in baseball, with momentum being only as good as a team’s next day’s starting pitcher.

So, what explains the team streaks in baseball that happen all the time? A team on a long losing streak could be explained by poor pitching. Maybe all the pitchers on the team stink. All the hitters being good could explain a team that keeps winning.

However, there is another factor, psychology. Baseball is difficult, and one of the most important determinants of success is belief. If a player believes he will hit the ball hard, he might, but if he believes he will not hit the ball, he will not. The same logic applies to teams. If they do not think they will win, they will not. That is likely what is happening at James Madison (it is also what is happening with the New York Mets).

Leading Hitters

The Dukes had 12 hits in the game, so some players stood out offensively. Wyatt Campbell was 3-of-4 with a double, a home run, and a team-high three runs batted in. Kyle Langley was 3-of-5, with a stolen base. Reece Moody was 2-of-5. Cameron Aycock, Jack Anderson, Jack Guerrero, and Ryan Gocio each had a hit. Gocio, the freshman catcher, was also hit by a pitch and made an error. The Dukes had their opportunities in this game, leaving 10 runners on base.

Madison used seven pitchers. Jackson Moore played right field and third base for George Mason. He was also 4-of-4. Matthew Westley was 2-of-3, with two runs scored. Jack Butler also had two hits for George Mason, and he drove in two runs. The Patriots got balanced production from the rest of their batting order to win the game. They used five pitchers, with Tanner Kaler pitching three innings, a team high. He also gave up three runs.