• Sophomore outfielder Cam Reckling finished 4-for-11 with a grand slam and five RBI in two games.
• Junior catcher Logan Driscoll went 3-for-8 with a home run and five runs scored in two games.
• Senior infielder Greg Popatak II was 3-for-8 with a home run, two RBI and three runs scored in two games.

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

FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason baseball team split a doubleheader with George Washington, falling 16-7 in game one before defeating the Colonials 13-2 in game two on Saturday at Spuhler Field in Fairfax, Va.

In game one, Mason (12-17, 1-7 A-10) fell behind George Washington (17-13, 3-4 A-10) in the first inning when the Colonials scored a pair of runs against senior starter Jared DiCesare.

After a leadoff double by Colonials freshman outfielder Cade Fergus, junior outfielder Steve Barmakian knocked in the first run of the game with a triple to right field.  Junior infielder Nate Fassnacht followed with a run-scoring double to put George Washington in front 2-0.

In the bottom of the first, Mason junior catcher Logan Driscoll hit his eighth home run of the season, a solo blast to right field off Colonials starter Elliott Raimo to make it a 2-1 game.  Driscoll is second in the Atlantic 10 in home runs.

The Colonials used two singles and a sacrifice fly by freshman infielder Derek Ripp in the top of the second to increase the lead to 3-1.

In the top of the fourth, Fergus and senior designated hitter Dom D'Alessandro each hit a two-run home run to extend the Colonials advantage to 9-1.  Mason senior infielder Greg Popatak II hit his first home run of the season to leadoff the bottom of the fourth to make the score 9-2.

George Washington sent nine batters to the plate and scored four runs on four hits in the top of the sixth against Mason sophomore James Price to break the game open at 13-2.

The Patriots responded in the home half of the sixth against Colonials reliever Pat Knight.

Mason sent nine batters to the plate and took advantage of four walks to score three runs to cut the Colonials lead to 13-5.  Senior designated hitter Ryan Tassone drove in a run with a single, while senior shortstop Alejandro Aponte and sophomore infielder Daniel Brooks each forced in a run with a walk.

In the bottom of the seventh, Driscoll led off with a double to left and scored on senior first baseman Tim Quinn's one-out single.

George Washington scored a run in the eighth and two in the ninth against Mason freshman Mason Posey.  Sophomore outfielder Tyler Hix tripled in a run in the eighth and D'Alessandro belted his second two-run homer of the game in the ninth to make the score 16-6.

Popatak drove in the final run of the game with a RBI-double in the bottom of the ninth to make the final score 16-7.

DiCesare (1-5) allowed nine runs, six earned on 10 hits with three strikeouts and one walk in 4.0 innings and took the loss.  Price gave up four runs on four hits in 2.0 innings, while Posey surrendered three runs on four hits in 3.0 innings of work for the Patriots.

Raimo allowed two runs on five hits with one strikeout and five walks in a no-decision.  Knight (2-2) was touched for three runs on three hits with five strikeouts and five walks in 2.0 innings and earned the win for the Colonials.

Driscoll went 2-for-3 with a home run, RBI and three runs scored.  Popatak was 2-for-6 with a home run and two RBI.  Junior outfielder Bailey Klein finished 3-for-5 and scored two runs.

In game two, the Patriots sent 10 batters to the plate and scored six two-out runs in bottom of the second against Colonials starter Brady Renner to take control.

Klein and Popatak both walked and Aponte single to load the bases.  With two outs, sophomore outfielder Cam Reckling smashed a grand slam over the left field fence to put the Patriots in front 4-0.  It was the first home run of his collegiate career and Mason's first grand slam of the season.

Driscoll doubled and senior outfielder Brady Acker followed with a double, with Driscoll rumbling home to make the score 5-0.  Quinn then singled to right, with Acker scoring from second to increase the lead to 6-0.

Mason senior starter Brian Marconi kept the Colonials off balance and didn't allow a hit over the first three innings.

George Washington got on the board in the top of the fourth, scoring a run on a fielding error and another on a sacrifice fly to cut the lead to 6-2.

The Patriots batted around again in the bottom of the fourth and scored five runs on four hits against Colonials reliever Alex Kobersteen.  After Aponte reached on a fielding error and Driscoll was walked intentionally, Acker singled to left field with Aponte racing home to make the score 7-2. 

Quinn then doubled in a run, Klein drove in a run with a ground out and Tassone singled home a run to extend the lead to 10-2.  With the bases loaded, Aponte walked in his second at-bat of the inning to make it 11-2.

In the sixth inning, Aponte and Reckling each knocked in a run with a single against Colonials right-hander Blake Ripp for the 13-2 final score.

Marconi (2-4) allowed two runs on just one hit with five strikeouts and four walks in 6.0 innings to earn the win.  Freshman Jared Lyons tossed three scoreless innings to pick up his first collegiate save.

Renner (2-2) surrendered six runs on five hits with three strikeouts and three walks and suffered the loss.  Kobersteen allowed five runs, one earned, on four hits in 1.2 innings, while Ripp gave up two runs on four hits in 2.0 innings of work.

Reckling was 1-for-5 with his first career home run and a career-best five RBI.  Acker went 4-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored, while Tassone was 3-for-5 with a RBI and scored two runs. 

The Patriots and Colonials will play the final game of the series on Sunday with the first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. at Spuhler Field.