March 12, 2004

Box Score

Conway, S.C. -

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The George Mason baseball team did something on Friday that it had not done all season - it was unable to hold a lead as Seton Hall rallied from a five-run deficit against the Patriot bullpen and took an 11-10 win at Conway, S.C.. It was the second straight loss for the Patriots who had opened the season 10-1.

The Patriots fell behind early as Jake Glanzmann allowed a pair of first-inning runs. A leadoff walk and a single set the table. A groundout scored the first run and a single up the middle plated the second.

The Patriots came back in the bottom of the second as Nick Shimer led off the inning with a home run. Two more scored in the bottom of the third to give the Patriots their first lead of the game as Chris Looze hit a two-run homer to score Bruce Baldwin.

Seton Hall retook the lead in the fourth, this time getting things going when Glanzmann hit the leadoff batter. An error on a sacrifice bunt attempt and a walk loaded the bases with no outs. A double play allowed one run to score and a single brought home the second run of the inning.

The bottom of the fourth saw the Patriots drop six runs on the Pirates, and it looked as if George Mason was on its way to its 11th win in 13 games. Robby Jacobsen homered to start the inning and Josh Campbell kept the rally going with a one-out single. Jeff Palumbo and Baldwin followed with back-to-back two-out singles and the Patriots led, 5-4. A passed ball allowed Palumbo to score and Looze homered for the second time in the contest to make it 8-4. Shimer added his second homer of the game as the Patriots went back-to-back, increasing the lead to 9-4.

It stayed 9-4 until the top of the seventh, when Dan Jaycox came on in relief of Glanzmann. The first two batters singled and Tim Pahuta calmly hit a three-run homer to make it 9-7. After retiring two batters, Jaycox once again found himself in trouble, as a single and a walk ended his day. Jeff Dinwoodie came on in relief and he allowed a three-run homer to the first batter he faced, Patrick Sullivan.

Trailing, 10-9, the Patriots rallied in the bottom of the seventh. Jimmy Freund was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, Matt Cooksey later drew a one-out walk and Baldwin doubled to tie the game. But Dinwoodie could not hold the lead as Joey Scott hit a solo homer in the top of the eighth to give the Pirates (2-10) the lead for good. The Patriots (10-3) put two runners on in the eighth and one in the ninth but could not get the tying run across against Chris Noonan.

The Patriots will have to rebound quickly as they take on Coastal Carolina on Saturday and Sunday. Both those games are scheduled for 2 p.m. starts. Sophomore Eric Gibbons (2-1) pitches on Saturday while junior Stacen Gant (4-0) goes on Sunday.