March 1, 2008

Box Score

Conway, S.C. - The George Mason baseball team earned its first win of the 2008 season on Saturday afternoon, using a seven-run seventh-inning to break open a close game and the Patriots then held on for a 16-12 win over Western Carolina. Mason jumped out to a 6-0 lead and was ahead 8-4 before the Catamounts tied the score at 8-8. But with one run in the sixth and seven in the seventh, Mason was able to nullify Western Carolina's four runs in the final two innings. The Patriots improved to 1-4 while Western Carolina fell to 2-3.

Mason scored before making an out as Spencer Wiggins led off with a double and Chris Henderson homered to make it 2-0. In the second, Mark Hill reached on an error and came on to score on a Wiggins ground out. With the score 3-0, Mason added on three in the third as Justin Bour doubled, Brent Weiss singled and Hill homered.

But Mason starter Ryan Brecko wasn't able to pitch with the lead. Barrett Shaft walked, J.C. Lyons singled and Brent Greer homered. Ryan Matthews followed with a single and a steal, he went to third on a wild pitch and scored on an error. In the fourth, the Patriots used a Henderson walk and singles from Scott Krieger and Bour to make it 7-4. Krieger scored on a Brent Weiss single for an 8-4 lead.

But the Catamount tied the score in the fourth. Matt Johns led off with a solo homer, Nick Liles singled, Shaft reached on an error and Blake Murphy homered to make it 8-8 and end Brecko's day. Dan Gerjets came on in relief and he pitched the final six innings to pick up the win. He didn't allow a run in his first four innings and he finished the game with three strikeouts.

Bour homered to lead off the sixth to make it 9-8 and in the seventh, Hill led off with a homer for a two-run lead. Ryan Uphouse then reached on an error and scored on a Wiggins triple. Henderson singled to bring home Wiggins and after Krieger singled, Bour followed with a two-run double. After a Ryan Soares single, Weiss brought homer Bour with a double and Soares scored on a Dan Palumbo sacrifice fly.

Bour was 4 for 6 with three runs and three RBI, Weiss was 3 for 5 with a run and two RBI, Hill was 2 for 4 with three runs and four RBI and Henderson was 2 for 4 with three runs and three RBI. Krieger, Wiggins and Soares also had multiple hits for Mason.

The Patriots will take the field again on Sunday when they play a pair of games. Mason will take on West Virginia at 11:30 a.m. then host-school Coastal Carolina at 4:30 p.m.