TOWSON, Md. – The George Mason baseball team erased an eight run deficit on the way to an 11-10 win at Towson on Tuesday afternoon at Schuerholz Park. It's the biggest comeback win of the season for the Patriots.
Mason (19-32, 7-14 A-10) took the lead in the top of the first inning against Towson starter Garrett Walther. Freshman Caleb Walls led off with a single and sophomore Tyler Nelin drew a one-out walk to put runners on first and second. With two outs, sophomore Garett Driscoll singled through the left side of the infield, with Walls crossing the plate to give Mason a 1-0 lead. The Patriots have scored at least one run in the first inning 17 times this season.
Towson (19-33, 9-12 CAA) used a single and two walks to load the bases in the home half of the first with only one out, but Mason starter Tim Quinn recorded a pop out and a strikeout to end the inning. The Tigers stranded 14 baserunners and left the bases loaded three times in a 10-3 loss at Spuhler Field Apr. 6.
In the bottom of the second, junior Billy Plante led off the inning with his first triple of the season and with one out he scored when senior Danny Caddigan drove in his first run of the season with an infield single to tie the game 1-1. After two walks loaded the bases for the second time in as many innings, junior Chris Henze drove in two runs with a single to center to put the Tigers in front 3-1. Towson sent eight batters to the plate in the inning.
Freshman Zach Skrtich took over on the hill in the top of the third and hit a batter and walked two as the Tigers loaded the bases with no outs. Freshman Jonathan Ostroff entered the game in relief and surrendered a RBI single before freshman Richie Palacios hit his first collegiate grand slam as Towson increased the lead to 8-1. Henze added a solo home run to left field to make the score 9-1 Tigers.
Mason has allowed three grand slam home runs this season (Apr. 16 in a 14-4 loss at George Washington and Feb. 27 in a 6-5 win over Rutgers).
In the fourth, after an infield single by Quinn, freshman Ryan Tassone belted his first collegiate home run, a two-out two-run blast over the left field fence to cut the lead to 9-3. The Patriots had gone 13 games without hitting a home run.
The Patriots cut into the lead in the top of the fifth when Nelin drove in two runs with a single to make the score 9-5.
In the sixth, the Patriots scored three runs on four hits. Quinn doubled to start the inning and scored when Tassone hit a ground rule double down the left field line to get Mason closer at 9-6. Freshman Greg Popatak II then singled through the right side of the infield, with Tassone racing home from second to make the score 9-7. Popatak went from first to third on a wild pitch before freshman Alejandro Aponte made it a one-run game with a RBI single and the Towson lead was 9-8.
At one point Mason trailed by eight runs, but the Patriots tied the game in the top of the seventh when freshman Bailey Klein hit a no-doubt two-run homer onto the grass behind the left field wall to tie the game 10-10. Mason scored nine runs over four innings from the fourth through the seventh.
Klein gave the Patriots their first lead of the game in the top of the ninth when he crushed a 2-0 pitch into the setting sun over the left field wall for his second home run in as many at bats to put Mason in front 11-10.
Towson loaded the bases in the ninth inning against Mason closer Zach Mort on a single, an error and a walk but Mort recorded two strikeouts and a game-ending ground out to preserve the win.
The Patriots have scored 10 or more runs five times this season, twice against Towson. The Patriots scored 20 runs on 29 hits in a two-game season sweep over the Tigers.
Senior Mark Maksimow (2-0) pitched a scoreless eighth inning to earn the win. Mort picked up his eighth save of the season and has a save in each of the Patriots last six victories.
Klein went 2-for-3 with two home runs, three RBIs and scored twice. He has hit all three of his homers this season on the road. Aponte was 3-for-5 with three singles, a RBI and scored a run. He has driven in five runs in his last five games. Tassone finished 2-for-5 with three RBIs. He has driven in six runs in his last five games played. Quinn and Popatak each collected two hits in the game. Seven different players scored a run for the Patriots.
The Patriots begin their final series of the season Thursday at UMass.
