FAIRFAX, Va. – Fairfield (2-4) was able to put up two runs in the top of the 11th inning as the Stags went on to defeat the George Mason baseball team (8-4) in an extra inning contest at Spuhler Field on Saturday afternoon.
The Patriots dropped their fourth game of the season and their second in extra innings in the series opener with Fairfield. Sophomore Mark Maksimow took his first loss of the season as he moved his record to 0-1, while Tucker Panciera came on in relief and earned his first victory of 2014.
Fairfield led off the 1-1 ballgame with a single in the top of the 11th inning and a sacrifice bunt would move Jake Salpietro over to second. An intentional walk and additional walk by Maksimow would load the bases with one out in the inning. The first pitch of the next at bat from Maksimow would hit Fairfield's Troy Scocca to bring in the winning run. An additional run was charged to Maksimow after a sacrifice fly made the ballgame 3-1.
Maksimow finished the day with 3 and one-third innings pitched, allowing two runs on two hits and walking four batters while striking out three. The sophomore made his fourth relief appearance of the season, his fourth in relief of Anthony Montefusco and his first not resulting in a save.
Montefusco pitched another gem on the mound, throwing seven innings of shutout baseball to extend his earned run streak to 25 innings. The redshirt senior allowed six hits and struck out a season high 10 batters while walking none. His ERA remains at zero after the run that scored while he was on the mound came on an error.
Both teams stayed off the board until the bottom of the sixth inning. Tucker Tobin and Blaise Fernandez cashed in on back-to-back doubles off starting pitcher Mike Wallace to put the Patriots up 1-0. The double was Fernandez's team leading sixth of the season and the RBI gives him a team high 10. Wallace exited the game for the Stags after throwing seven innings where he allowing the one run on five hits, walking three and striking out six. Tobin ended the day 1-4 with the one run scored. Montefusco also managed a two for three day at the plate while being intentionally walked twice.
Fairfield tied quickly tied up the ballgame in the top of the seventh inning after a throwing error from catcher Patrick Esposito. With a runner on first and no outs, Brendan Tracy went to attempt a sacrifice bunt. The bunt popped up in between Montefusco and Esposito where neither was able to catch the ball. Esposito quickly fired the ball over to first in an attempt to throw out Tracy, however the throw was low and got away from first baseman Mick Foley. The ball rolled to the right corner of the field, eventually allowing Tracy to come around and score the tying run.
Making his team high fifth appearance of the season in the contest was Riley Coverdale who recorded the final two outs of the 11th inning for Mason. After the contest the team ERA still remains at a low 1.51.
Mason and Fairfield conclude the series on Sunday, March 9 with a doubleheader. First pitch for game one is scheduled for 12 noon. Game two will begin shortly after the conclusion of game one.
