WASHINGTON – The Atlantic 10 Conference has named George Mason senior Jordan Smith its Men's Baseball Player of the Week. Saint Joseph’s sophomore Will McCausland was chosen as the league’s Pitcher of the Week and Davidson freshman Jed Howard earned Rookie of the Week accolades. The awards were announced Tuesday and are for games played Feb. 19-25.
 
Smith hit for the cycle, going 4-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored, in Mason's 11-9 win over Purdue in game one of a doubleheader on Saturday. An outfielder from Virginia Beach, Va., he hit a solo home run in the first inning, singled in the second inning, tripled in the sixth and doubled in the seventh. In the four-game series against the Boilermakers, Smith went 6-for-13 with a home run, triple, double, two singles, seven runs scored, two RBI and two walks. In the Patriots win in the home opener over Coppin State on Tuesday, Feb. 20, Smith went 2-for-2 and reached base in each of the first four innings. He finished with a triple, single, two RBI, two runs scored, a walk and was hit by a pitch.
 
McCausland dazzled last week, tossing six shutout innings and earning the win as the Hawks would go on to beat Gardner-Webb, 6-2, on Friday afternoon...The right-hander from Harleysville, Pa., did not allow a runner past second base, scattering three hits and walking one while striking out an Atlantic 10 season-best 10 batters. McCausland has fanned 18 hitters in two outings against just one walk and has allowed nine hits and two runs in 11.0 innings.
 
Howard, a designated hitter from Lynchburg, Va., hit a team-best .636 in a 2-2 week. He was 7-11 with a double and five RBI. He also had a 1.404 OPS, including .727 slugging percentage and a .667 on-base percentage. In his college debut in Friday's win over Villanova, went 4-for-4 with four RBI.