DAYTON, Ohio – The George Mason baseball team scored three runs in the sixth inning to take a permanent 8-5 lead to defeat the Dayton Flyers on Thursday afternoon.
The Patriots improve to 29-19, 15-8 in the Atlantic 10 while Dayton falls to 23-17, 13-12 in conference.
Mason got out on top early with the first run of the game in the second inning after Anthony Montefusco helped his own cause with a sacrifice fly to center field to bring home Chris Cook, who led off the inning with a walk. Montefusco made his 14th start of the season on the hill, throwing the first five innings and earning his eighth win of the season despite allowing five runs on seven hits with two strikeouts.
The Patriots expanded their lead to a 5-0 margin in the top of the fourth with four runs on three hits in the frame. Ray Toto led off with a hit by pitch and was followed by Montefusco's first hit of the ballgame, a single to left field. Mick Foley reached base on a fielder's choice before Willis singled to left, scoring Montefusco for the 2-0 lead.
Brandon Gum walked next to load the bases, which were cleared on Blaise Fernandez's third triple of the season to make it a 5-0 game, however the Flyers responded in the bottom half of the inning with five runs of their own to even the score after four complete innings. Dayton unleashed four consecutive doubles before an out was recorded and five of the six hits in the inning were doubles for Dayton, enough to chase Montefusco out of the game.
The redshirt senior was replaced by Jake Kalish on the mound, who earned his second save of the season in four scoreless innings pitching with only one hit allowed and three strikeouts in relief.
Mason broke the 5-5 tie in the top of the sixth when Foley sent his team-leading fourth triple of the season to center field and was brought home on Wills' sacrifice fly in the next at bat. Gum singled and Fernandez doubled him home for his fourth RBI of the day and a 7-0 lead. After he advanced to third on a wild pitch Cook singled him home on his only hit of the day. Josh Leemhuis led the way with a 3-5 day from the plate.
Flyers' pitcher Joe Wahl allowed seven of the eight Mason runs to score on eight hits with three strikeouts. The Patriots totaled 11 hits in the game, five for extra bases to Dayton's eight total hits.
Both teams play the middle game of series tomorrow with a 1:00 p.m. scheduled first pitch.
