HOLLY SPRINGS, N.C. – The George Mason baseball team split a doubleheader against Canisius, winning game one 6-5 in 10 innings before falling in the nightcap 4-2 on Saturday afternoon at the North Main Athletic Complex in Holly Springs, N.C.
Mason (7-12) took an early lead in game one against Canisius starter Zachary Sloan. With one out in the bottom of the first inning, junior
Frank Sturek doubled to left-center and classmate
Tyler Nelin followed with a walk.
Junior
Trevor Kelly drove in the first run of the game with a single to right, with Sturek racing around from second to put the Patriots up 1-0. Junior
Garett Driscoll then collected his first double of the season, with Nelin crossing the plate to make the score 2-0.
The Patriots have scored at least one run in the first inning in four of their last six games.
Mason doubled the lead in the third with one swing of the bat when Kelly smashed a two-out, two-run home run over the left field fence to make it 4-0.
In the fifth, Sturek and Kelly walked to put runners on first and second with one out. Driscoll drove in his second run of the game with a single to right and Sturek had no trouble scoring from second base to increase the advantage to 5-0.
Mason starter
Tyler Zombro retired 16 of the first 18 batters he faced in the game, recording eight groundouts and six strikeouts, before the Golden Griffins were able to break through in the top of the sixth.
With one out in the inning, Canisius sophomore William Krull was hit by a pitch to start the rally and the next five batters each reached base with singles. The Golden Griffins sent nine batters to the plate and scored three runs on five hits to cut the Patriots lead to 5-3. Mason senior
Ryan Galvin recorded the final two outs of the inning.
Canisius plated single runs in the seventh and eighth innings to tie the game 5-5 and the Mason lead was gone. The Golden Griffins had just two hits in the first five innings, then collected 11 in the final five frames.
Nelin gave Mason a chance to win the game with his defense in the top of the ninth. With freshman
Jared DiCesare on the mound for the Patriots, Canisius junior Liam Wilson doubled and senior Christ Conley followed with a single to right field. Wilson was waved around third trying to score the go-ahead run.
Nelin made a perfect throw to Driscoll, who applied the tag to end the inning, with Wilson called out at the plate.
Mason took advantage in the home half of the 10th when DiCesare singled, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and went to third on a balk. Freshman
John Callahan ended the game when he drove in DiCesare with a sacrifice fly to put the Patriots in the win column 6-5 and hand the Golden Griffins their fourth straight loss.
Kelly went 2-for-4 with his third home run of the season and three RBI. Driscoll finished 2-for-4 and drove in two runs. DiCesare finished 2-for-5 and scored the game-winning run. Sturek went 1-for-2, walked three times and scored three of Mason's runs in the game.
Zombro allowed three runs on seven hits and struck out six over 5.1 innings in the no-decision. DiCesare (2-1) pitched two innings to earn his second win of the season. Both of his wins have been on the road.
Five Mason pitchers combined to strike out 12 Canisius batters in the game, while walking just one.
In the second game of the twin bill, Mason used the long ball to take the lead. Sophomore
Michael Smith led off the bottom of the third when he belted his second home run of the season to give the Patriots a 1-0 lead.
In the fourth, sophomore
Brady Acker hit his first home run of the season to double to the lead to 2-0.
The Patriots have hit at least one round tripper in each of the last six games.
Starter
Brian Marconi was cruising along in the game and allowed just four singles over the first six innings. Canisius didn't have a runner in scoring position until the seventh. The defense was flawless until the seventh, turning three double plays in the game.
Canisius (11-7) sent eight batters to the plate in the seventh inning and took advantage of two Mason errors and a passed ball to score four runs to take a 4-2 lead.
Golden Griffins starter J.P. Stevenson (4-1) retired the last 13 batters he faced before turning the game over to reliever Tyler Smith for the ninth.
With Mason looking to rally, Nelin led off the ninth with a single and Kelly followed with a walk to put the tying runs on base with no outs. Smith ended the threat with a pop out and two strikeouts to pick up his third save of the season for the Golden Griffins.
Marconi (2-2) allowed just one earned run on six hits over 6.2 innings and suffered the loss. He struck out eight and walked two. Sophomore
Zach Mort didn't allow a hit and fanned four in 2.1 innings of work. Mason pitchers combined to strike out 24 batters in the two games and walked only three.
The rubber game of the series is Sunday with the first pitch scheduled for 11 a.m. at the North Main Athletic Complex in Holly Springs, N.C.
