DAYTON, Ohio – Blaise Fernandez scored five runs and had four hits while Tucker Tobin each added four hits and three RBI in a 9-1 victory over Dayton on Friday afternoon.
Mason earns its 30th win of the season in the effort and improved to 30-19 overall, 16-8 in the Atlantic 10. Dayton falls evens its conference record at 13-3 and falls to 23-28 overall.
The Patriots once again put up the first runs of the ballgame against the Flyers, knocking in three in the first half inning. Brandon Gum had the first hit of the game with a single to left field followed by Fernandez connecting on the first of two doubles on the afternoon to advance Gum to third. Tobin plated both runners with the first of his four hits for a 2-0 lead and came home on Josh Leemhuis' RBI single two batters later for a three run advantage.
The scoring consistently continued for Mason, scoring one run in the third, fifth and seventh innings before adding three more in the ninth. On the mound for the Green & Gold and making his 13th start was Jared Gaynor, who pitched six scoreless innings and got five Flyers to swing and miss while allowing five hits in his eighth win of the season.
Fernandez scored each run in the third, fifth and seventh innings. He singled to left field with one out in the third and advanced to third on Tobin's single to center, eventually coming home on a sacrifice fly from Chris Cook. Cook also brought home Fernandez in the fifth on a single up the middle, who able to bring himself around the bases in the seventh inning with his third homerun of the season, a solo shot to left field.
Mason's 3-4-5 hitters were a combined 10-12 with six runs scored and seven RBI in the ballgame. Fernandez's five runs scored came up one shy of the program record set by Mike Colangelo in 1997.
Luke Willis started the rally in the ninth with a one-out bunt single. Gum singled in the next at-bat and Fernandez doubled for the second time to score Willis, increasing the lead to 7-1 after Dayton scored once in the bottom of the seventh. Tobin and Cook each had a single and double, respectively, in the inning for nine total.
Steven Ball relieved Gaynor on the mound in the top of the seventh, allowing one run on two hits and was replaced by Tyler Zombro who tossed the final two innings. Noah Buettgen took the loss for Dayton, allowing six runs on nine hits over seven innings.
The final game of the regular season for both teams will begin on Saturday, May 17 at noon.
