• Junior catcher Logan Driscoll went 3-for-5 with three RBI.
• Sophomore second baseman Daniel Brooks was 1-for-3 and drove in a run.
• Senior third baseman Greg Popatak II walked three times and scored a run.

Box score (PDF)

KINGSTON, R.I. – The George Mason baseball team dropped the final game of its series against Rhode Island, 7-6, on Sunday afternoon at Bill Beck Field in Kingston, R.I.

The Patriots (17-26, 4-11 A-10) fell behind Rhode Island (18-22, 9-6 A-10) in the bottom of the second when the Rams plated a run against Mason freshman starter Jared Lyons.

Rhode Island junior catcher Sonny Ulliano doubled to left field and scored on a two-out single by sophomore outfielder Max Mircovich to put the Rams in front 1-0.

The Patriots responded in the top of the third against Rams freshman starter Justin Cherry.

With one out, Mason senior shortstop Alejandro Aponte singled and sophomore outfielder Cam Reckling reached on an error, with Aponte moving to third.  Junior catcher Logan Driscoll then ripped a two-run double down the first base line to give the Patriots a 2-1 lead.

In the bottom of the fifth, Rhode Island senior infielder Kevin Heiss knocked in a run with a single and sophomore first baseman Xavier Vargas drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to propel the Rams to a 3-2 advantage.

The Patriots took advantage of three Rhode Island errors in the sixth inning to regain the lead.

After senior third baseman Greg Popatak II led off with a walk, freshman designated hitter Jack Fitzgerald and sophomore second baseman Daniel Brooks both bunted and reached on errors to load the bases. 

The Rams summoned senior reliever Cam LeFleur from the bullpen and he struck out the first two batters he faced.  With two outs, Driscoll dropped down a bunt and LeFleur fielded the ball, but his throw to first was off the mark and went into right field allowing three runs to score to make it 5-3 Mason.

Rhode Island loaded the bases with no outs in the sixth inning with a single, double and a walk against Mason freshman reliever Stuart Barrett.  Mircovich drove in a run with a RBI-groundout and senior infielder Brett McManus tied the game 5-5 with a sacrifice fly.

Mason senior first baseman Tim Quinn led off the seventh with a single to center before junior right fielder Bailey Klein grounded into a fielder's choice, with Quinn out at second on the play.  Popatak walked and Brooks followed with a two-out RBI single to right field to make it a 6-5 game in favor of the Patriots.

The Rams reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the eighth against Mason relievers James Beasley and Nick Zegna.

After a leadoff walk, Beasley retired the next two batters before surrendering a second walk in the inning to put runners on first and second.  Rhode Island sophomore outfielder Austin White hit a hard grounder back up the middle and the ball glanced off of Beasley, deflecting into shallow right field, with sophomore infielder Josh Brodeur racing around to score from second to tie the game, 6-6.

Zegna entered the game for the Patriots looking for the final out of the inning, but while delivering a pitch, he dropped the ball and was called for a balk that allowed the eventual game-winning run to cross the plate for the Rams.

The Patriots put the tying and winning runs in scoring position in the top of the ninth against Rams junior reliever Tyler Brosius.  Klein was hit by a pitch and senior pinch hitter Ryan Tassone reached on Rhode Island's fourth error of the game to put runners on second and third.

Brooks then hit a ground ball to Vargas at first and he threw home to get Klein at the plate for the second out of the inning.  With Tassone at third, Brosius retired Aponte on a fly out to left to end the game.

Lyons allowed three runs on six hits with four strikeouts and one walk in 5.0 innings in a no-decision for the Patriots.  Barrett gave up two runs on two hits with two walks in one inning of work.  Beasley (1-1) surrendered two runs on one hit in 1.2 innings and took the loss.

Cherry allowed five runs, one earned, on three hits with nine strikeouts and five walks in a no-decision for the Rams.  LaFleur gave up one run on three hits, while Brosius (6-0) tossed two scoreless innings to earn the win.

Driscoll went 3-for-5 with three RBI, Brooks was 1-for-3 with a RBI and run scored, while Popatak walked three times and scored a run for Mason.

The Patriots are back on the diamond on Wednesday, May 1 against Mount St. Mary's with the first pitch scheduled for 3 p.m. at Spuhler Field.