PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. – The George Mason baseball team fell 4-1 to the University of Iowa in its final game of the Snowbird Classic in Port Charlotte, Florida on Sunday morning.
Mason finishes the Classic with a record of 1-2 while the Hawkeyes move to a record of 2-1 with the win.
The Patriots jumped out to a lead in the first inning for the second consecutive game with Luke Willis scoring his third run of the weekend. Willis opened the bottom of the first with a double into left field and was able to reach home after a throw on a Michael Smith single was thrown off target to give Mason the 1-0 lead. Willis ended the weekend batting a .417 clip with five hits and two RBI.
Jake Kalish made his first start on the mound after starting the previous two at first base, holding Iowa scoreless for the first three innings before it was able to breakout two runs in the top of the fourth. The Hawkeyes used three hits and passed ball to take the 2-1 lead.
Kalish remained in the game for the first six innings, allowing two runs on four hits with two strikeouts. Mark Maksimow started the seventh and would finish the inning after allowing a run to score. Iowa tacked on an insurance run in the top of the ninth to make the final score 4-1.
Joe Williams and Tyler Tobin each made their second relief appearances of the season as Williams threw the eighth and the first two outs of the ninth, allowing one run to score on three hits.
Mason returns to the diamond next Friday, February 20 in Wilmington, NC as part of the Hughes Bros. Challenge. Opening game of the weekend is against Wake Forest at noon.
