FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason baseball team evened their series against Bryant University on Saturday afternoon, scoring the winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning to earn a 3-2 victory at Spuhler Field.
The Patriots fell behind early when Bryant scored a run in each of the first two innings against starter Joe Williams.
In the first, junior Cole Fabio singled to lead off the game and then used his speed to steal both second and third. He has swiped three bases in the series. With one out, senior Robby Rinn drove in Fabio with a sacrifice fly to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead. Mason has allowed 15 stolen bases in nine games this season.
The Bulldogs added to the lead in the top of the second. Junior Brandon Bingel began the frame with a single to center. After Williams hit a batter with a pitch and a fielder's choice put runners on the corners with two outs, freshman Nick Angelini attempted to steal second. On the throw across the diamond, Bingel raced home from third base to make it 2-0.
The Patriots tied the game with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third. After a leadoff walk to freshman Ryan Tassone and a single by sophomore Michael Smith, sophomore Brady Acker jumped on the first pitch he saw and delivered a double down the third base line. Tassone had no trouble coasting home to make the score 2-1. Senior Kent Blackstone then sent a sacrifice fly to right field that drove in Smith with the tying run.
Mason broke the tie in the home half of the eighth inning by generating a run without getting a hit. Bryant reliever Justin Snyder walked both freshman Trevor Kelly and sophomore Garett Driscoll. With two outs in the inning, freshman Jonathan Hansen was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
It appeared the Bulldogs were going to escape the jam, but Tassone sent a hard ground ball to third and the throw to second base for a force out was high. Kelly took advantage and scored from third base on the error to put Mason in the lead 3-2. Both of the Patriots wins this season have been by a single run. Mason beat Rutgers 6-5 on Feb. 27 at Spuhler Field.
A day after allowing 12 runs on 15 hits to the Bulldogs, Mason pitching was the story of the game.
Williams allowed two runs on four hits over seven innings in a no decision. He struck out five and didn't walk a batter in his longest outing of the season. After surrendering four hits in the first three innings, Williams didn't allow another to the next 15 Bulldog batters including retiring eight in a row from the third inning to the sixth.
Tyler Tobin (1-0) tossed two scoreless innings in relief to earn the win. The two Mason hurlers combined to retire the Bulldogs in order four times in the game.
Sophomore Tyler Nelin went 2-for-4. Freshman Caleb Walls, Tassone and Smith each scored a run. The Patriots left 11 men on base in the game and have stranded 23 base runners in the first two games of the series.
Bingel started for Bryant and allowed two runs on seven hits over 5 2/3 innings and didn't figure in the decision. He struck out three and walked three. Snyder (0-1) didn't allow a hit over his 2 1/3 innings of work, but had trouble with his control and suffered the loss. He walked three Mason batters and struck out one.
For the Bulldogs, Fabio went 3-for-4, scored a run and stole two bases. Rinn went 1-for-3 and drove in a run.
Mason and Bryant are playing for just the second time. The first series between the two teams took place March 2-4, 2012 at Spuhler Field, with the Patriots claiming two wins in the three games.
The rubber game of this series is Sunday, March 6th at Spuhler Field with the first pitch scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
