AMHERST, Mass. – The George Mason baseball team was limited to four hits in a 2-1 loss to the University of Massachusetts in the first game of a three-game series Thursday afternoon at Earl Lorden Field.
Mason (19-33, 7-15 A-10) took the lead in the top of the first against UMass starter Ryan Moloney. With one out, Mason loaded the bases. Sophomore Michael Smith drew a walk, sophomore Tyler Nelin singled and senior Kent Blackstone singled. Sophomore Garett Driscoll then hit a sacrifice fly to center field, with Smith scoring from third to give the Patriots a 1-0 advantage. Driscoll has driven in five runs in his last four games.
UMass (16-27, 9-13 A-10) responded in the home half of the first against Mason starter Tyler Zombro. After back-to-back singles to start the game put runners on first and second, it looked like Zombro would get out of the inning after a double play. With two outs, senior John Jennings drove in his 30th run of the season with a RBI single to tie the score 1-1.
The Patriots threatened in the top of the fifth. Freshman Alejandro Aponte led off the inning with a single and with two outs, Smith bunted his way on base to put runners on the corners but Mason was unable to score a run.
Senior Mark Maksimow entered the game from the bullpen to start the eighth for Mason and the score remained tied until the bottom of the ninth. Junior Mike Geannelis led off with his seventh double of the season and would score the game-winning run for UMass on a RBI single for the walk-off 2-1 victory.
The Minutemen have won seven of their last nine home games. The Patriots are 5-16 on the road this season.
Zombro allowed one run on eight hits over 7.0 innings of work. He struck out four and didn't walk a batter in his final start of the season. Maksimow (2-1) allowed a run on three hits in 1.1 innings and suffered the loss.
Smith went 1-for-3 and scored the lone run for the Patriots. He has scored 28 runs this season, second-most on the team. Aponte, Blackstone and Nelin each finished with one hit in the game. The Patriots had four singles in the game, two in the first inning and two in the fifth inning.
The Patriots will look to even the series in game two of the three-game set on Friday with the first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m.
