Box Score
Box score
FAIRFAX, Va. – George Mason senior
Trevor Kelly singled up the middle with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth, lifting the Patriots to a 5-4 walk-off win over Saint Joseph's in the series opener on Friday afternoon at Spuhler Field.
Mason (22-24, 12-7 A-10) fell behind in the third when Saint Joseph's (18-25, 4-13 A-10) scored two runs on three hits against starter
Zach Mort. Hawks junior Charlie Concannon had the big hit in the inning, driving in a pair of runs with a single through the right side to give the Hawks a 2-0 advantage.
The Patriots responded in the bottom of the fourth against Hawks starter Matt Kennedy.
Sophomore
Logan Driscoll led off with a double and with two outs, senior
Michael Smith singled through the right side with Driscoll racing around to score to cut the lead to 2-1.
The Hawks sent seven batters to the plate in the top of the fifth and scored two more runs on three hits to extend their lead to 4-1.
Mason began the comeback in the home half of the sixth. Junior
Brady Acker led off the inning with a solo home run over the left field fence to make the score 4-2.
With one out, Kelly singled to center and advanced to third on an error by the center fielder. After a walk to junior
Greg Popatak II put runners on the corners, Kelly coasted across the plate on another RBI single by Smith to make it a one-run game at 4-3.
In the eighth, Popatak singled and went to second on an error and Smith followed with a double into the gap in left-center off reliever Ryan Devine, with Popatak crossing the plate to tie the score 4-4.
Mason completed the comeback in the ninth.
Senior
Tyler Nelin was hit by a pitch, Acker walked and Driscoll was intentionally walked to load the bases with no outs. That set the stage for Kelly, who singled up the middle off of Hawks reliever Steve Powles, with Nelin scoring from third to give the Patriots the 5-4 walk-off victory.
It's the third walk-off win of the season for the Patriots, all at home and against Atlantic 10 opponents.
Mason scored three runs in the ninth for a 7-6 victory over St. Bonaventure on March 25 with
Logan Driscoll driving in the winning run with a single. The Patriots recorded a 1-0 win in 10 innings over Richmond on March 31 when Smith knocked in the only run of the game with a single.
Mason improved to 14-6 at home this season. The Patriots are 5-1 in series openers at Spuhler Field.
Mort allowed four runs on eight hits and struck out five over 7.0 innings in a no decision. Senior
Ryan Ricci (3-2) struck out four of the seven batters he faced over two shutout innings to earn the win.
Kennedy surrendered three runs on six hits over 6.0 innings in a no decision for the Hawks. Powles (0-1) took the loss for the Hawks after allowing one run on two hits in the ninth.
Kelly went 3-for-5 with three singles and drove in a run, while Smith was 3-for-5 with two singles, a double and three RBI. Acker's home run was his second of the season.
The Patriots and Hawks will play the middle game of the series on Saturday with the first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m. at Spuhler Field.
