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After giving up a combined 33 runs in two games against North Carolina last weekend, Terrapin baseball coach Terry Rupp is looking to today's game at George Mason as a chance to get his weekend pitchers back on track.

"We're going to get some of these guys more work midweek," Rupp said. "We have to be aggressive and attack the strike zone. That's something [pitching] coach [Jim] Farr emphasizes all the time."

While senior Brett Tidball will start, Rupp said to expect to see regular weekend hurlers Brett Jones, Ian Schwalenberg and Sunday starter Jensen Pupa get some work in today and tomorrow against UMBC.

The problem according to Rupp and his players is simple - too many walks are leading to too many runs. In the Terps 19-1 loss to the Tar Heels on Sunday, five pitchers combined for 10 walks and three hit batters.

"Basically, we just have to be more consistent, repeat our deliveries and throw more strikes," senior reliever Mike Sufczynski said. "We gotta have guys attack the zones. It's pretty simple - it's baseball."

While George Mason (9-11, 6-2 CAA) doesn't pack as much offensive punch as No. 3 North Carolina, the Patriots will present a challenge.

Junior outfielder and Towson native Scott Krieger leads a club that is hitting .295 as a team with nine home runs. Sophomore first baseman Justin Bour already has 27 RBIs on the season.

While Terrapin pitchers will try to correct their recent struggles, today's game carries some extra incentives for one player.

Senior infielder Joe Palumbo will be facing not one, but two of his brothers when the Terps take the field today. His younger brother Dan is a sophomore infielder for George Mason and one of his older brothers, Jeff, is a former Patriots star and current assistant coach.

While Palumbo said there are no wagers on the table pending the outcome of the game, he did admit Palumbo family bragging rights are on the line.

"We were always competitive, whether it was playing cards or a backyard game of basketball we always wanted to win," Palumbo said. "Now that it's on a bigger scale in an important college baseball game, it's definitely a little more intriguing."

Easter dinner Sunday night at his uncle's house with the whole family was interesting, Palumbo said, but he knows it's all in fun.

"It's fun, it's going to be a good game and they're a good team," Palumbo said. "I kinda just gotta put that aside and remember what's at stake."

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