Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Game One Box score
Game Two Box score

MIAMI, Fla. – The George Mason baseball team dropped both games of a doubleheader to Florida International University on Sunday, falling 16-0 in game one and 14-3 in the nightcap at Infinity Insurance Park in Miami, Fla.

In game one, Mason (4-10) fell behind when Florida International (9-7) scored single runs in each of the first two innings against starter Bryce Nightengale. 

Panthers sophomore Austin Shenton hit a solo home run in the first, while classmate Derek Cartaya drove in a run with a RBI-single in the second as FIU built a 2-0 lead.

The Panthers added three more runs in the fifth inning, with junior Lorenzo Hampton providing the big hit with a two-run home run over the left field fence.

In the seventh, FIU sent 12 batters to the plate and scored eight runs on six hits against three Mason relievers to make the score 13-0.  The Panthers also batted around in the eighth and added three more runs for the 16-0 final score.

Nightengale (1-2) allowed five runs on six hits over 5.0 innings and took the loss.  Senior Saul Aguilera allowed three runs on two hits in 1.1 innings, freshman Thomas Bradley allowed a pair of runs, freshman Michael Yuille surrendered three runs on three hits in 0.2 innings and junior Matthew Yost allowed three runs on three hits in one inning of work.

Panthers junior Andres Nunez (1-1) allowed one hit over 6.0 innings to earn the win.  Freshman Everett Hurst gave up just two hits over three innings to pick up the save.

Junior Greg Popatak II went 2-for-4 with a single and a double, while classmate Alejandro Aponte was 1-for-3 with a single to account for Mason's three hits in the game.

Shenton went 4-for-6 with two home runs and four RBI.  Sophomore Juan Teixeira finished 3-for-5 with a three-run home run and five RBI.  The Panthers hit four home runs in the game.

In game two, FIU again struck early with two runs in the home half of the first against Mason starter Jared DiCesare. 

With two outs and the Panthers in front 1-0, Hampton jumped on the first pitch he saw in the first and hit his second home run of the day, a solo home run to right to make the score 2-0.

The Patriots responded in the top of the second.  Popatak led off the inning with a walk and scored on a two-out single by Aponte to cut the Panthers lead to 2-1.

In the third, Hampton belted his second homer in as many at-bats with a two-run homer over the left field fence to increase the Panthers lead to 4-1. 

The Panthers tacked on a run when sophomore Javier Valdes connected for a solo home run in the fifth to make it a 5-1 game.

Frank Sturek drove in a run for Mason with a ground out in the sixth to cut the lead to 5-2.

FIU then sent 11 batters to the plate and scored seven runs on six hits in the sixth to break the game open at 12-2.  Teixeira provided the big hit with a three-run home run.

Popatak doubled in a run for the Patriots in the seventh and the Panthers added two more runs in the eighth inning for the 14-3 final score.

DiCesare (1-3) allowed eight runs on 11 hits in 5.0 innings.  Freshman Christian Santana surrendered a run on five hits in 4.0 innings in the start for the Panthers.  Freshman Cody Cortelli (1-0) gave up a run in 2.0 innings and earned the win.

Mason sophomore Logan Driscoll went 3-for-5 with three singles.  Popatak reached base five times.  He doubled, walked three times and was hit by a pitch.  Aponte finished 2-for-4 with two singles and drove in a run.

FIU scored 30 runs on 32 hits over the two games.  The Panthers hit four home runs in each game of the doubleheader.

The Patriots and Panthers conclude their three-game series on Sunday with the first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. at Infinity Insurance Park in Miami, Fla.