Box score (PDF)
 
FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason baseball team scored six runs in the first two innings to take an early lead over UMBC, but fell to the Retrievers, 14-10, on Friday afternoon at Spuhler Field.
 
Mason (1-4) sent nine batters to the plate in the bottom of the first and scored five runs on four hits against UMBC (4-0) junior starter Owen Hamilton.
 
Mason freshman outfielder Jordan Smith led off with a single, outfielder Cam Reckling walked and designated hitter Scott Morgan drove in Smith with a RBI single up the middle to put the Patriots up 1-0.
 
Mason freshman outfielder Thomas Trinca then drove in a pair of runs with a double to right field to increase the lead to 3-0.  After a walk to shortstop Peter Nielsen and a pop out, third baseman Cooper Mrowka knocked in a run with a sacrifice fly and catcher Kyle Hayes plated a run with a triple to make it 5-0.
 
The teams traded runs in the second. 
 
UMBC senior outfielder Ryan Brown drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the top of the inning against Mason starter Jared Lyons.  The Patriots got the run back in the bottom of the second when Reckling doubled and scored on a fielder's choice ground out by Trinca to extend the Mason advantage to 6-1.
 
UMBC scored the next 13 runs in the game.
 
The Retrievers plated a pair of runs in the top of the third on two sacrifice flies to trim the Patriots lead to 6-3. 
 
UMBC scored a single run in the fourth on a solo home run by Brown, his first of the season.
 
In the top of the fifth, Retrievers freshman shortstop Drew Roberts led off with a single and later scored from second on a throwing error to make it a one-run game, 6-5.
 
The Retrievers completed the comeback in the top of the eighth against Mason relievers Jonathan Kaiser and Nick Zegna.  UMBC sent 14 batters to the plate and scored nine runs on eight hits to take a 14-6 lead.
 
The Patriots scored two runs in the home half of the eighth to cut the deficit, with Reckling and Morgan each driving in a run. 
 
In the ninth, Nielsen led off with a single against UMBC senior reliever Cameron Taylor and graduate student first baseman Ryan Stoudemire doubled to left, with Nielsen racing home.  Patriots second baseman Daniel Brooks knocked in a run with a sacrifice fly to make the score 14-10, but that's as close a Mason would get.
 
For the Patriots, Lyons allowed five runs, four earned, on five hits in 6.0 innings in a no-decision.  Kaiser (0-1) surrendered five earned runs on four hits in 1.1 innings and took the loss.  Zegna gave up four earned runs on three hits and retired one batter.  Freshman Sang Ho Baek tossed 1.1 scoreless innings and struck out one batter in his collegiate debut.
 
For the Retrievers, Hamilton allowed six earned runs on eight hits in 5.0 innings.  Taylor (1-0) gave up four runs, three earned, on five hits in 3.0 innings to earn the win.  Junior Tyler McDonnell recorded three outs in the ninth. 
 
Morgan went 4-for-5 with four singles, two RBI and scored a run.  Stoudemire was 2-for-5 with a triple and RBI.  Nielsen finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored, Smith was 2-for-6 and also scored two runs, while Trinca drove in three runs for the Patriots.
 
The Patriots are back on the diamond on Saturday, March 13 for a doubleheader at La Salle.  The first pitch for game one is scheduled for 12 p.m. in Philadelphia, Pa.