FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason baseball team made a seven-run deficit disappear in the third inning, however it was not enough to hold off the Davidson Wildcats who won 12-8 on Saturday afternoon.
Mason is now 19-24-1 overall with an Atlantic 10 record of 8-9. Davidson improves to 23-17 overall and is now 12-8 in the conference.
The Wildcats stormed out to a 5-0 lead in the top of the first inning and a 7-2 lead after the first two. Davidson tallied four doubles in the first two innings and six total hits, chasing Mason starter John Williams out of the ballgame. He allowed all seven earned runs while striking out one and walking two.
The comeback for Mason started in the bottom of the second when Brady Acker singled and Trevor Kelly doubled to start things off. Jake Kalish and Ray Toto each followed with RBI groundouts as it turned into a five-run ballgame.
The initial comeback was complete in the bottom of the third with five runs on five hits and a throwing error by starting pitcher Rob Bain. With one out Brandon Gum reached first on a bunt single and was able to run to second on Bain's error. Kent Blackstone followed with a walk and Tyler Nelin reached on a high bloop single on the right field line to load the bases. Acker brought home two with a double into center field followed by RBI's from Kelly, Kalish and Toto to tie the game at seven.
Davidson retook the lead in the top of the fifth with three runs off the arm of Tyler Kardas, who moved to 0-2 this season with the loss. Two more doubles were hit in the frame as Davidson totaled seven, three from David Daniels.
Mason chased Bain out of the ballgame with two outs in the sixth inning, who earned the win after giving up eight earned runs and 11 hits. The Patriots scored their final run in that inning when Blackstone singled into right field to score Derek Evans, who came in as a defensive substitution.
One more run was added for Davidson in the top of the seventh and ninth innings, allowing closer Matt Saeta to pick up his fourth save. The Wildcats ended the game with 18 hits to Mason's 11 and Willis and Gum both kept their hit streaks alive, which are now at 22 and 21 games, respectively. Ryan Lowe ended his day for Davidson 5-6 at the plate with three runs scored and an RBI. Daniels went 4-6.
The series will be decided on Sunday, May 3 at 1:00 p.m.
