Box Score
Box score
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Mason senior
Michael Smith and junior
Brady Acker each finished with three hits as the Patriots defeated La Salle 5-3 on Thursday in the series opener at DeVincent Field in Philadelphia, Pa.
Mason (24-25, 14-8 A-10) took the lead in the third inning against La Salle (14-39, 4-18 A-10) starter Austin Constantini.
Mason graduate student
Frank Sturek doubled to left field to start the inning and with one out, Acker singled to left with Sturek scoring from second base to put the Patriots in front 1-0. After Acker advanced to second on a wild pitch and moved to third on a passed ball, senior
Trevor Kelly lined a two-out RBI-single to left field to make the score 2-0.
The Patriots have scored the first run in four of their last five games.
The Explorers plated two runs on three hits in the bottom of the fifth against Mason starter
Zach Mort to tie the game 2-2.
La Salle threatened to take the lead in the sixth when they put runners on first and second with two outs. Mason summoned left-hander
Brian Marconi from the bullpen and he was able to get a ground out to end the inning.
The Patriots sent eight batters to the plate in the eighth inning and took advantage of a fielding error to take the lead for good.
With one out, sophomore
Logan Driscoll singled and Kelly reached on an error, with Driscoll advancing to third on the play. Popatak then drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to left field to give the Patriots a 3-2 advantage.
Smith continued the rally when he tripled to the gap in left-center with Kelly rumbling all the way around from first to increase the lead to 4-2. After a walk, junior
Alejandro Aponte singled to left to drive in Smith from third to make it a 5-2 game.
The Explorers scored a run in the bottom of the ninth, but Marconi recorded a strikeout and a fly out to end the game and give the Patriots a 5-3 win in the opener of the final series of the regular season.
Mort allowed two runs on 11 hits and struck out seven over 5.2 innings in a no decision. Marconi (4-1) gave up one run on two hits and struck out five over 3.1 innings to earn the win.
Constantini (0-3) surrendered five runs, two earned, on 11 hits over a career-high 7.2 innings and took the loss for the Explorers. He threw 137 pitches and struck out seven, also career-highs.
Smith went 3-for-5 with his fourth triple of the season, drove in a run and scored a run. Acker was 3-for-5 with a RBI and run scored. Driscoll, Kelly and Sturek each finished with two hits in the game.
The Patriots scored five runs on 13 hits, while the Explorers scored three runs on 13 hits.
The Patriots and Explorers will play the middle game of the series on Friday with the first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. at DeVincent Field.
