• Freshman starter Nick Zegna pitched five scoreless innings and earned the win in his first NCAA start.
• Senior third baseman Greg Popatak II went 2-for-5 with a double, RBI and two runs scored.
• Freshman outfielder Jared Lyons recorded his first career hit and RBIs.

Box score (PDF)

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – George Mason freshman starting pitcher Nick Zegna made his NCAA debut, tossing five scoreless innings to record his first collegiate win in the Patriots 9-4 victory over Marshall on Saturday afternoon in the Sunshine State Classic at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee, Fla.

"I thought Nick was outstanding," Mason head coach Bill Brown said.  "Nick probably could have gone one more inning for us, he's certainly conditioned to do that, but he had performed great for us and we went to Nate."

Mason (2-0) sent 11 batters to the plate and scored six runs to take the lead over Marshall (0-2) in the top of the first.

Senior outfielder Brady Acker and sophomore third baseman Daniel Brooks both walked to start the inning.  With one out, senior third baseman Greg Popatak II cleared the bases with a double to center to put the Patriots up 2-0.

After walks to redshirt junior designated hitter Bailey Klein and senior first baseman Tim Quinn loaded the bases, freshman outfielder Jared Lyons collected his first NCAA hit and RBI with a two-run single to right field to make the score 4-0. 

Mason freshman outfielder Cam Reckling then drew a walk in his first Mason at-bat to put runners on first and second.

After a Marshall pitching change, Mason senior infielder Alejandro Aponte drove in his first run of the season with a sacrifice fly, with Quinn racing home to extend the lead to 5-0.

In his second at-bat of the inning, Acker jumped on the first pitch he saw and doubled down the third base line, with Lyons scoring on the play to give the Patriots a 6-0 advantage.

"We got a little bit of help again today, but I attribute that to the fact that we are taking great at-bats," Brown said.  "We're waiting for good pitches to hit and if we don't get it we move on.  We got some big hits in the first inning and it's great to stake yourself to a six run lead.  It really puts the pressure on the other team."

With one out in the second inning, the Patriots again loaded the bases with a pair of singles and a walk.  Lyons then drove in his third run of the day with a sacrifice fly to make it a 7-0 game.

Reckling started the fifth inning with a single and Aponte followed with a base knock to put runners on the corners.  Acker drove in his second run of the game with a sacrifice fly, with Reckling crossing the plate with Mason's eighth run.

After the Thundering Herd scored a run in the bottom of the sixth, the Patriots responded in the seventh. 

Quinn, Reckling and Acker walked to load the bases and with two outs, Brooks drew a four-pitch walk to extend the lead to 9-1.

Marshall sent seven batters to the plate and scored three times in the bottom of the eighth, but the Patriots start the season 2-0 after posting the 9-4 win.

Three Mason pitchers made their NCAA debut.

Zegna (1-0) scattered five hits with one strikeout and one walk over five innings to win his first career start.  He retired the first four batters on the day and threw a first-pitch strike to 11 of 18 batters he faced in the game.

Mason freshman Nate Young also made his NCAA debut when he entered the game to start the sixth.  He allowed three runs on three hits with three strikeouts and two walks in two innings before departing the game with an injury.

Sophomore Michael Yuille surrendered one run on two hits with a strikeout and a walk in one inning.

Mason freshman Stuart Barrett retired the Thundering Herd in order in the ninth, including two strikeouts in his NCAA debut.

Marshall freshman Brady Choban (0-1) allowed six runs on two hits and walked five and retired just one batter in the first inning and took the loss.  Four Marshall relief pitchers combined to allow three runs on five hits and eight walks over 8.2 innings.

Lyons went 1-for-3 with three RBI and a run scored and Reckling was 1-for-3 with a run scored.

"These young players are important for us to have success," said Brown.  "It looks like they are all going to be able to deliver and that's exciting."

Quinn walked four times, drove in a run and scored twice, while Acker was 1-for-2 with a walk, two RBI and a run scored.  Popatak finished 2-for-5 with a RBI and two runs scored.

Mason batters walked 13 times in the game and turned five of the free passes into runs.  The Patriots also loaded the bases in three innings in the game.

Every player in the Mason lineup reached base at least once, while eight players either drove in a run or scored a run for the Patriots.

The Patriots play their final game at the Sunshine State Challenge on Sunday, facing Villanova with the first pitch slated for 11 a.m. at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee, Fla.