FAIRFAX, Va. – After Georgetown broke the 4-4 tie with a solo homerun in the top of the ninth, the George Mason baseball team (18-11, 5-2) walked-off in the final frame of the game to defeat the Hoyas (12-17) 6-5 at Spuhler Field on Wednesday afternoon.
The Hoyas evened up the score at four with a pinch-hit single by Patrick Camporini in the top of the eighth inning and took the lead on a leadoff solo homerun from Ryan Busch off Mark Maksimow over the left field wall for the 5-4 advantage, his first of the season to leave Mason trailing by two with the last hitters due at bat.
Anthony Montefusco started the late rally with a chopper up the middle off Beau Hall, who was playing his third position of the afternoon. After Nick Gallo came on to pinch run for Montefusco Tucker Tobin lined a pitch off Hall into deep right field, hitting the top of the wall to put runners on second and third with zero outs. Brandon Gum, who previously hit two doubles on the afternoon, was due up next and was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Gum finished the day 2-3 with two runs scored after missing the previous two games.
Mick Foley stepped up and hit his first pitch from Hall into centerfield, enough to bring home Gallo from third and advance both base runners. Luke Willis then lined his first pitch from Hall into deep left-center field, plenty to bring home Tobin from third and complete the comeback and final score of 6-5. Willis went 2-4 with three RBI on the afternoon.
Maksimow collected his first win of the season after pitching the eighth and ninth innings, allowing one run to score on three hits. Jake Kalish made his second start of the season and did not end up figuring in the decision, throwing three and two-third innings in which he gave up two runs on six huts and struck out eight batters. Kalish at one point fanned five consecutive Hoyas and retired 10 straight before he was relieved.
Georgetown struck early to score first, using singles from Busch, Hall and Collins to open up the ballgame and tack on a 1-0 lead. Two batters later AC Carter had the first of his two hits, a double into left field that made it 2-0 before Mason had a chance to bat.
The Patriots cut the lead to one with a Willis sacrifice fly in the third inning and gained the lead in the fifth with three runs on four hits in the inning. Tobin led off with a single followed by Gum's second double of the day. After Foley grounded out to bring home Tobin, Willies smacked a triple into left-center field to tied it up before coming home on Chris Cook's single one batter later. The action chased Georgetown starter Chris Giordano out of the ballgame, who allowed four runs on six hits with one walk and no strikeouts. Mason struck out three times in the ballgame.
Taylor Hunt and Evan Porcella worked the middle of the game before Maksimow entered in the eighth. Hunt pitched two and one-third innings and Porcella proceeded with one full inning, both allowing one run while Hunt also struck out four batters. Tobin led the 11-hit performance with three of his own, also scoring two runs.
The Patriots resume conference play with a weekend series vs. St. Bonaventure at Spuhler Field. First pitch of the series is scheduled for Friday, April 11 at 3:00 p.m.
