Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

• Freshman starter Nick Zegna earned his second win of the season in game two.
• Sophomore second baseman Daniel Brooks went 3-for-5 with two RBI in game two.
• Sophomore outfielder Jared Lyons went 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored in game two.

Game One Box score (PDF)
Game Two Box Score (PDF)

FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason baseball team split a doubleheader against Princeton on Saturday at Spuhler Field.  The Patriots dropped game one, 5-3 and blanked the Tigers in game two, 6-0.

Mason (5-3) fell behind in game one when Princeton (1-1) scored three runs on five hits in the top of the second against junior starter Jared DiCesare.

In the bottom of the third, Mason senior shortstop Alejandro Aponte and sophomore outfielder Scott Morgan led off the inning with walks against Tigers starter Tanner Kliewer. 

After a pitching change, junior outfielder Logan Driscoll also drew a free pass to put a Patriot on every base.  Aponte then scored on a wild pitch by Princeton reliever Ryan Smith to cut the lead to 3-1.

In the top of the fifth, Princeton sophomore shortstop Jake Boone drove in two runs with a double to left-center off of Mason senior Brian Marconi to make the score 5-1.

The Patriots rallied in the home half of the ninth. 

Mason freshman Jared Lyons walked, sophomore outfielder Cam Reckling was hit by a pitch and Aponte walked for the third time in the game to load the bases with one out.

Sophomore second baseman Daniel Brooks drove in a run when he was hit by a pitch and Reckling later raced home on a wild pitch to make it a 5-3 game, but the Patriots would leave the bases loaded.

DiCesare (1-2) allowed three runs on nine hits with four strikeouts and one walk in 3.2 innings and took the loss. 

Marconi allowed two runs on five hits with six strikeouts and three walks in 5.1 innings of work.   

Kliewer and three relievers combined to allow only hit in the game.  He allowed one run on one hit with three strikeouts and three walks over two innings in a no-decision.

Smith (1-0) struck out 10 and tossed six scoreless innings to earn the win.  With the game-tying run at second base in the ninth for the Patriots, junior Connor Nolan recorded the final out of the game to pick up the save.

Senior first baseman Tim Quinn went 1-for-3 and recorded Mason's lone hit in the game.  Aponte walked three times and scored a run, while Lyons and Reckling each crossed the plate for the Patriots.

In game two, the Patriots jumped out to an early lead against Princeton starter James Proctor in the bottom of the first.

Reckling and Brooks led off the game with back-to-back singles and advanced to second and third on a wild pitch.  Reckling scrambled home on a passed ball and senior third baseman Greg Popatak II drove in Brooks with a RBI-single to put the Patriots in front 2-0.

In the second, junior catcher Bailey Klein doubled to right and scored when Lyons followed with a double to left-center to increase the lead to 3-0. 

After Reckling was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Brooks delivered with a RBI-single to make the score 4-0.

In the fifth inning, Mason sophomore designated hitter Aaron Yurko singled and scored on a base hit by Lyons to extend the advantage to 5-0.

Brooks drove in his second run of the game with a bunt single in the eighth to make it a 6-0 game.

Mason freshman starter Nick Zegna (2-0) scattered six hits and struck out four with three walks over five scoreless innings to earn his second win in as many starts.

Freshman Stuart Barrett and junior James Beasley each tossed two scoreless innings for Mason.

Proctor (0-1) allowed five runs on seven hits in 2.1 innings and suffered the loss for the Tigers.  Junior Andrew Gnazzo surrendered one run on three hits in 5.2 innings in relief for Princeton.

Brooks went 3-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored, while Lyons finished 2-for-3 with two RBI and scored two runs.

Reckling was 2-for-3 with a walk and scored a run.  Klien and Yurko each finished the game 1-for-4 with a run scored.

The Patriots are back on the road when they face James Madison on Tuesday, with the first pitch scheduled for 4 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Harrisonburg, Va.