Photo Credit:  Bill Barrett/Atlantic 10 Conference

ST. LOUIS, MO. – The George Mason baseball team had its 2017 season come to an end, falling to Saint Louis by the final score of 9-6 in an elimination game at the Atlantic 10 Championship on Thursday, May 25 at the Billiken Sports Center in St. Louis, Mo.

Mason (26-33) took the lead in the bottom of the first inning against Billikens starter Jackson Wark.  Junior Michael Smith led off with a double into the gap in left-center and scored on a RBI single by classmate Frank Sturek to put the Patriots in front 1-0.

Saint Louis (34-21), the fifth seed, sent eight batters to the plate and scored four runs on three hits in the top of the third against Mason starter Brian Marconi. 

Juniors Aaron Case and James Morisano each drove in a run with a double, senior Trent Leimkuehler knocked in a run win a RBI single and sophomore Cole Dubet plated a run with a sacrifice fly to give the Billikens a 4-1 lead.

The seventh-seeded Patriots responded in the bottom of the third, sending eight batters to the plate and scoring five runs on four hits.  After a walk to Smith and a single by sophomore Brady Acker, junior Trevor Kelly drove in a pair of runs with a single to make it a one-run game at 4-3.

Junior Tyler Nelin kept the inning going with a single before sophomore Greg Popatak II hit his sixth home run of the season, a three-run blast to left-center field to give Mason a 6-4 advantage.

Saint Louis freshman Josh Garner entered the game in the third and retired the first nine batters he faced and allowed just four baserunners in the outing.

After the two teams combined to score nine runs in the third, Mason maintained the two-run lead as the Patriots and Billikens went scoreless over the next three innings.

The Billikens pulled to within a run in the top of the seventh.  Junior Nick Reeser led off the frame with a single and with one out, Case doubled for the second time in the game, with Reeser racing home from second base to trim the Mason lead to 6-5.

Saint Louis loaded the bases in the eighth inning with a single and two walks, but Mason junior Timothy Turner entered the game and was able to get a double play grounder to turn the Billikens away.

Mason took a 6-5 lead into the ninth, but Saint Louis batted around and scored four runs on four hits.  Case led off the inning with a solo home run off of Mason freshman Jared DiCesare to tie the game 6-6 and start the rally. 

After a pitching change, Saint Louis added three more runs in the inning against junior Ryan Ricci with two singles, a double and a sacrifice fly to take a commanding 9-6 lead.

Marconi allowed five runs on six hits over 6.1 innings in the no decision.  DiCesare (2-4) surrendered two runs in the ninth and took the loss.  Garner (1-1) allowed two hits over 5.1 scoreless innings to earn the win for the Billikens, who advanced to face Rhode Island on Friday, May 26.

Popatak went 1-for-2 with a home run and three RBI and walked twice in the game.  Kelly was 1-for-4 with two RBI, while Sturek also drove in a run for Mason.  The Patriots collected six hits over the first three innings, then were limited to just two singles over the final six frames.

Mason finished the season with an overall record of 26-33 and went 14-13 against Atlantic 10 opponents.