GREENVILLE, N.C. – The Patriots baseball team scored its only run of the game in the first inning in an 8-1 loss to No. 16 East Carolina University on Tuesday afternoon at Lewis Field at Clark-LeClair Stadium.

In the top of the first sophomore Brady Acker jumped on the first pitch he saw and doubled into the left field corner.  After senior Kent Blackstone was hit by a pitch, Mason (2-9) executed a double steal to put runners on second and third.  East Carolina starter Chris Holba then unleashed a wild pitch, with Acker scrambling in to score to give the Patriots a 1-0 advantage.

For the rest of the game it was all East Carolina, with the Pirates scoring eight unanswered runs.  The Pirates had at least one base runner in every inning in the game.

The Pirates (9-3) countered in the home half of the first inning against Mason starter Ryan Ricci.  Two straight singles and a hit batter loaded the bases with no outs and set the table for junior Bryce Harman, who delivered a sacrifice fly to left to even the score at 1-1.

ECU scored two runs with two outs in the bottom of the second to take a 3-1 lead.  All three hits for the Pirates in the inning were doubles.  For the game, half of the 12 hits for East Carolina went for extra bases (four doubles, a triple and a home run).

In the fourth, junior Wes Phillips led off the inning with a towering home run that disappeared into the setting sun over the left-center field fence to make it 4-1.  The Pirates added another in the inning on a wild pitch for a 5-1 lead.  ECU scored two more times in the fifth for a 7-1 lead and tacked on their eighth run of the game in the eighth inning.

East Carolina improved to 43-30 all-time against Mason and has won the last five meetings over the last 15 years.

The Pirates entered the game with a team batting average of .314 and they stayed hot at the plate, collecting a dozen hits in the game.  Seven players in the starting lineup had at least one, led by junior Luke Bolka, who went 2-for-4 and scored two runs.  Six players for East Carolina had a RBI.  It was the seventh time this season that the Patriots have allowed their opponent to reach double-digits in hits.

East Carolina was active on the base paths all day with junior Jeff Nelson swiping three of the Pirates season-high six stolen bases.  ECU stole four bases in the fifth inning alone.  It was the second time this season that Mason allowed six stolen bases in a game.

Holba (2-0) allowed one run on two hits in a career-high three innings of work for East Carolina.  He struck out two and walked one.  Two Pirates relievers combined to toss six scoreless innings the rest of the way.

Acker went 2-for-4 and has now hit safely in nine of the Patriots 11 contests this season with four multi-hit games.  Freshman Greg Popatak II also went 2-for-4 collecting two singles.  Sophomore's Trevor Kelly and Tyler Nelin each had one hit.  Nelin had the play of the game and one of the best in any college baseball game so far this season.  He raced into foul territory for a pop up in the third inning and while making the catch, flipped head first over the wall, hanging onto the ball for the out.

Ricci (0-2) allowed five earned runs on eight hits in his 3.1 innings of work.  He struck out one and didn't walk a batter.  Freshman Tim Quinn gave up two runs on two hits in 1.2 innings.  Senior Mark Maksimow tossed two innings, allowing just one hit and junior Tyler Kardas gave up a run on one hit in the Pirates eighth.

The two teams wrap up their two-game series on Wednesday, March 9th.  Freshman Brian Marconi (0-0, 5.87) is scheduled to make his second start of the season for Mason.  The first pitch is slated for 4 p.m.