FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason baseball team allowed five runs to score in the first two innings in a 6-4 loss to the UMBC Retrievers on Tuesday afternoon.
The Patriots move to 18-23-1 overall while Ryan Ricci takes his first loss of the season. Ricci threw the first two innings, allowing all five runs to score with a strikeout and a walk.
UMBC plated three runs in the first inning with four two-out hits: three singles and a double. Mason answered back with one run in the bottom half after Jake Kalish singled home Kent Blackstone. A walk and three more singles plated two UMBC runners in the top of the second for a 5-1 ballgame after two complete.
The Retrievers added one more in the top of the fourth inning but that was answered by Brady Acker's second homerun of the season in the bottom half of the frame. His ball over the left field fence also brought home Kalish, who led off with a single. Kalish went 3-3 with a walk in the loss.
Mason used a total of six pitchers in relief of Ricci, which combined for seven innings of one-run baseball with six hits allowed and three strikeouts. Tyler Kardas pitched two innings in relief and was joined on the mound by Mark Maksimow, Ryan Galvin, Saul Aguilera, Tyler Mocabee and Joe Williams.
The final run for Mason came in the bottom of the sixth. Tyler Nelin began with a single and was followed by Kalish's only walk of the game before both were bunted over by Acker. Trevor Kelly singled to the shortstop right after and was able to beat out a throw that was slightly off-target for the RBI.
Jamie Switalski earned the win for UMBC with two and two-thirds innings of relief. Dennis Mikush picked up his fourth save of the season by retiring Ray Toto as the final batter. Luke Willis did hit a double into left field in the fifth inning to prolong his hitting streak, which has now reached 20 games. Brandon Gum remains at 19 consecutive games with a hit after sitting out on Tuesday.
Another Atlantic 10 series begins this weekend at Spuhler Field when Davidson visits for three games, beginning on Friday at 3:00 p.m.
