FAIRFAX, Va. – In a game that involved 11 innings, five errors, four lead changes and was tied up three separate times, the George Mason baseball team (19-12, 6-3) fell to St. Bonaventure (8-19, 2-7) 8-6 in an three hour and fifteen minute affair at Spuhler Field on Saturday afternoon.

The Patriots scored their six runs on six hits and where held hitless in seven of the 11 played innings. The Bonnies managed 15 hits off the pitching team of Jared Gaynor, Taylor Hunt, Mark Maksimow and Evan Porcella and only four of their eight runs came as earned.

The ballgame began with several lead changes as each team scored at least one run in five of the first six half-innings. St. Bonaventure scored its first run in the top of the first on a Mason error before the Patriots answered with two in the bottom of the frame on a Tucker Tobin double that brought home walked batters Brandon Gum and Blaise Fernandez.

The Bonnies tied up the game in the top of the second on a double into left field but that was answered by Chris Cook in the bottom half of the inning with his fourth homerun of the season, a solo blast to right field to put the Patriots back on top 3-2. St. Bonaventure only waited until the top of the third to re-tie the game at three apiece.

Both teams would stay quiet until the Bonnies broke the tie in the top of the seventh. Dylan Dunn singled with one out and Joel Rosencrance doubled into left field for his fourth RBI of the series to put St. Bonaventure up 4-2. Cook would put the tying run on the board in the bottom of the eighth with a sacrifice fly to center, bringing home Josh Leemhuis who got on base after being hit by a pitch. The run sent Mason into its fourth extra-inning contest of the season.

St. Bonaventure broke through in the top of the 11th with four runs on five hits to put them up 8-4. Patrick Esposito led a last chance effort for Mason in the bottom of the inning with a leadoff single followed by a Cook double down the right field line. Cook led the team with a 2-3 day at the plate, scoring two runs and driving in two. Brandon Gum reached on an error that cut the score to 8-6, the closest Mason would get to tying the game.

Gaynor tossed six and two-thirds innings in a no-decision, allowing two earned runs on eight hits as he struck out five. Maksimow took the loss and moves to 1-2 on the season, allowing two earned runs on three hits. Steven Klimek picked up the win for the Bonnies after pitching three and one-third innings in relief of starting pitcher Connor Grey.

The series will be decided tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. when John Williams takes the mound for the Patriots.