FAIRFAX, Va. – The winning run was at the plate with two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth where
Jordan Hill popped a ball behind the plate, eventually caught by Rams catcher Ryan Phelan to end a late comeback attempt and the game by the score of 8-5 on Sunday.
Mason (13-8, 2-1) takes its first conference loss of the season and snaps a four game winning streak in the defeat. Fordham wins its first A-10 game of the year and improves its record to 8-11 after falling in the first two games of the series.
Down 8-2 in the start of the eighth inning, the Patriots twice loaded the bases in the final two innings but were able to score only three of the needed six runs to tie the ballgame, two in the eighth and one in the ninth. Mason earned six walks in the final two innings and ended the contest with five runs scored on six hits. The Rams scored four of their eight runs off starting pitcher
John Williams in the first inning and ended the game with 11 hits, four of them doubles.
The Rams got out in front early, using a three-run double into left-center field by Ian Edmiston to propel them to four runs in the first frame. Mason answered in the bottom of the inning with a
Brandon Gum single up the middle to drive home Willis, extending his hit streak to 10 games and make it a 4-1 ballgame.
Fordham scored one more off Williams in the third, whose day was ended after the inning after allowing five runs on six hits, striking out two and walking one.
Evan Porcella relieved Williams for the next three innings, allowing two of the three runs in the top of the seventh inning when Rob McCunney lined a bases-clearing double down the left field line.
Josh Leemhuis had a hit for the 10th consecutive game with an RBI single in the sixth before Mason began its comeback in the eighth. They loaded the bases with one out, leading to a
Ray Toto single into left field for his 11th RBI and a
Jayme Murray hit-by-pitch that made it an 8-4 game. The Patriots loaded the bases once again in the ninth, this time with no outs however a Leemhuis walk would bring home the only run of the inning.
Tim Swatek was the winning pitcher for the Rams, hurling six innings of work while allowing one earned run on four hits. Swatek also went 3-4 at the plate and scored two runs in the contest.
Tyler Zombro closed out the final three innings for Mason as he allowed one walk one earned run and two hits with one strikeout.
The Patriots are next scheduled to play the University of Maryland on Tuesday, March 25 in a 3:00 p.m. Tuesday afternoon game.
