CONWAY, S.C. – The George Mason baseball team scored the first eight runs of the game against No. 18 Coastal Carolina, but couldn't hold on as the defending national champion scored nine unanswered runs, including three in the ninth for a walk-off 9-8 win at Springs Brooks Stadium in Conway, S.C.

Mason (2-5) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second when junior Garett Driscoll hit his first home run of the season off Chanticleers starter Jason Bilous, a solo blast over the left field fence.  Mason has scored the first run of the game five times in the first seven games of the season.

The Patriots increased the lead in the third when they sent nine batters to the plate and scored five runs on four hits.

Junior Frank Sturek led off the inning with a single and advanced to second on a wild pitch.  With one out, junior Michael Smith delivered with a RBI single to center to make the score 2-0.

Mason added to the advantage with a pair of two-out, two-run home runs.  Sophomore Greg Popatak II belted his second round tripper of the season to right-center to make the score 4-0 and after a walk to Garett Driscoll, junior Tyler Nelin hit his team-leading third home run of the season to left-center for a 6-0 lead.

The Patriots pushed two more runs across the plate in the top of the fourth for an 8-0 advantage.  Sturek and junior Brady Acker singled to start the inning and advanced to second and third after a sacrifice bunt by Smith.

Sturek raced home from third after an error on the pitcher on a failed pick-off attempt and Acker cruised home on a RBI single by freshman Logan Driscoll.

While the Mason offense was in high gear, sophomore starting pitcher Zach Mort was sharp, retiring the first eight batters and 11 of the first 13 Chanticleers he faced in the game.

Coastal Carolina (4-4) began the comeback when it scored its first runs of the day in the home half of the fourth.  With one out in the inning, sophomore Peyton Isaacson walked and junior Kevin Woodall, Jr. followed with a two-run home run over the left field wall to cut Mason's lead to 8-2. 

Mort then struck out the next two batters to end the inning.  The home run was the first hit that he allowed in the game.

The Chanticleers added single runs in both the fifth and sixth innings on a pair of RBI singles to trim the Patriot's advantage to 8-4.

Mason senior Ryan Galvin took over on the mound to start the seventh and retired the side in order, recording a strikeout and two ground outs.

In the home half of the eighth, the Chanticleers sent eight batters to the plate as they continued to cut into the Mason lead.   Isaacson walked to lead off the inning, then for the second time in the game, Woodall, Jr. hit a two-run home run to make the score 8-6. 

The Chanticleers continued to threaten in the eighth.  Galvin walked junior Seth Lancaster on four pitches and Mason made the call to the bullpen, with senior Tyler Tobin entering the game.  Coastal Carolina sophomore Cameron Pearcey reached on an error and junior Josh Crump grounded out before freshman Rafi Vazquez drew a pinch-hit walk to load the bases with two outs. 

Tobin ended the inning by striking out the next two batters, with the Chanticleers leaving the bases loaded and Mason maintaining its 8-6 advantage.

With Mason clinging to a two-run lead, Coastal Carolina loaded the bases in the ninth with no outs when Tobin walked the first two batters of the inning and Woodall, Jr. reached on a bunt single.  The Chanticleers then made it an 8-7 game when junior Seth Lancaster drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to center, with the baserunners advancing to second and third on the play.

Mason intentionally walked Pearcey to load the bases again with one out.

Tobin faced the pressure by striking out Crump to put the Patriots an out away from a victory in their final game of the Caravelle Resort Tournament. 

With pinch-hitter Matt Beaird at the plate for Coastal Carolina with the bases still full, Tobin got ahead in the count 0-2 and had the Chanticleers down to their final strike.  On the next pitch, Beaird sent a line drive single into center field, driving in two runs to give the Chanticleers the 9-8 walk-off win.

Mort allowed four runs on five hits over 6.0 innings, walked two and struck out six in the no decision.  Galvin gave up two runs on one hit with a strikeout and two walks in an inning of work.  Tobin (0-1) suffered the loss, allowing three runs on two hits with four walks and three strikeouts over 1.2 innings.   

Bilous surrendered six runs on six hits and struck out seven over 3.0 innings for Coastal Carolina and also didn't figure in the decision.  Senior Cole Schaefer tossed 5.0 innings, allowing two runs on five hits, while freshman Patrick Orlando (1-0) pitched the ninth inning to earn the win.

Garett Driscoll reached base five times in the game, with a home run and four walks.  Sturek was 3-for-4 with three singles and scored two runs, Popatak went 2-for-5 with a home run and Nelin added a two-run homer for Mason.

Every player in the lineup reached base at least once for Mason, with eight players recording at least one hit.  The Patriots hit three home runs and nine singles in the game.    

The Patriots are back in action at Longwood on Wednesday with the first pitch scheduled for 3 p.m.