Box Score * Mason starter Jared DiCesare pitched eight innings and allowed just two runs
* Trevor Kelly and Logan Driscoll each registered three hits for the Patriots
* The Patriots now play an elimination game Friday night against the winner of GW/Richmond

Box score
 
ARLINGTON, Va. – The George Mason University baseball team pushed top seed Saint Louis to the brink but could not power past the Billikens, dropping a 5-4 contest in 11 innings in the Atlantic 10 Championship semifinals on Friday afternoon at Barcroft Park.
 
Mason took a 4-2 lead into the bottom of the ninth inning, but the Billikens plated a pair of runs in the frame, then walked off with the win in the 11^th.
 
Mason now returns to action Friday night with a contest against the winner of No. 4 Richmond/No. 7 George Washington. First pitch is scheduled for approximately 7 p.m. The winner of that game will advance to Saturday's final contests.
 
Patriot starting pitcher Jared DiCesare put together an outstanding outing for the Green & Gold, throwing eight innings while allowing just a pair of runs and scattering four hits.
 
Logan Driscoll and Trevor Kelly each tallied a trio of hits for Mason, with Kelly also knocking in a run and scoring another. Driscoll scored two runs. In addition, Daniel Brooks drove in a pair of runs and added two hits for the Green & Gold.
 
It became apparent early that the fans in Arlington would be treated to a pitcher's duel for much of the game. Mason threatened in the top of the first, after Tyler Nelin was struck by the opening pitch. Driscoll moved him into scoring position with a put-out to the right side, but the Patriots could not bring him home with a two-out hit.
 
DiCesare needed just 34 pitches to get through the first three innings while retiring the Billikens' first nine batters.
 
In the bottom of the fourth inning, DiCesare gave up a leadoff double to Kyle Fletcher, but from there, the Patriots went to work. DiCesare brilliantly fielded a well-placed bunt down the third base line to record the first out and keep Fletcher at second base. Then, after a SLU ground out to third base, DiCesare elevated a fast ball on Jake Garella to get out of the jam.
 
Heading to the top of the fifth inning, Mason's Frank Sturek put together an excellent at bat to draw a walk. He advanced to second base on a wild pitch, then moved to third base after a fly out to right field by Nelin. Brady Acker then put some chutzpah into a warning track fly ball to right, but it was caught to retire the side.
 
The Billikens struck first in the bottom of the fifth inning, as Carter Hanford hammered a pitch to left center field for a homer that gave SLU a 1-0 edge.
 
Mason answered right back in the top of the sixth.
 
Driscoll broke out of an 0-for-16 slump with a well struck single into right-center field to lead off the inning. He then advanced to second after Jackson Wark threw the ball away in an attempted pick-off move to first base. Trevor Kelly then singled up the middle to move Driscoll over to third. Popatak grounded out to the pitcher next, but that allowed Kelly to move up to second. Michael Smith then put together an excellent nine-pitch at bat and drew a walk to load the bases.
 
The Billikens then brought in Connor Lehmann in relief of Wark. Brooks approached the plate next, and blooped a well-placed single into center field on a 2-2 count to tie up the score. Then, Alejandro Aponte launched a sacrifice fly into right field to plate Kelly and give the Green & Gold a 2-1 lead. Sturek then was hit by a pitch to load the bases again, but Nelin could not add to the lead, grounding out to shortstop to end the inning.
 
DiCesare retired the side in order in the bottom of the sixth to keep the Patriots in front. Then, Mason extended its lead in the top of the seventh. Back-to-back singles from Acker and Driscoll to open the inning gave Mason a first-and-third threat with no outs. Kelly then kept the rally going, shooting a grounder through the left side to plate Driscoll and make it 3-1 in favor of the Patriots.
 
Aaron Patton then came in to pitch for the Billikens. Popatak put down a perfect sac bunt to move the runners over to second and third with one out. Patton proceeded to intentionally walk Smith to load the bases. Brooks added his second-straight hit to bring home Smith and increase the lead to 4-1. However, Kelly was thrown out at the plate and Mason would not add an additional run in the inning.
 
The Patriots threatened in the top of the eighth, but could not score with two outs and runners on first and third.
 
Saint Louis cut into the Mason lead in the bottom half of the inning, with another solo shot, this time by Ryan Hernandez to pull the Billikens within two (4-2). But that's all SLU could muster, after excellent back-to-back fielding plays from Driscoll and Kelly.
 
After a scoreless top of the ninth, Mason manager Bill Brown brought in closer Ryan Ricci to attempt to pick up the save for the Green & Gold. Ricci gave up back-to-back singles, then hit the next batter to load the bases. Garrett Driscoll came in to relieve Ricci and walked in a run. He then picked up a key strikeout, but walked the next batter. SLU thus had tied up the score 4-4. But Driscoll retired the next two batters to send the game into extra innings.
 
After a scoreless 10^th, Mason put the go ahead runner on third base with two outs, but could not get Brady Acker home.
 
In the bottom of the 11^th, SLU put its first two runners on base, creating a first and third situation with no outs. Turner then struck out the next batter, before SLU's Carter Hanford hit a walk-off single to give the Billikens the win.

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