Game One Box Score (PDF)
Game Two Box Score (PDF)
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – The George Mason baseball team split a doubleheader against La Salle on Saturday afternoon at DeVincent Field in Philadelphia, Pa.
The Patriots had 14 hits, six for extra bases, in a 10-5 win in game one. The Explorers scored three runs in the sixth inning to earn 4-2 victory in game two.
GAME ONE
The Patriots (2-4) took the lead in the top of the second inning against La Salle (4-6) senior lefthander starter Colin Scanlon.
Mason graduate student pitcher
Ryan Stoudemire jumped on the first pitch he saw and hit his first home run with the Green and Gold, a blast over the left field fence to put the Patriots in front 1-0.
The Patriots broke the game open in the top of the fourth. Mason batted around and scored six runs, five with two outs, to take control of the game.
Stoudemire started the big inning when he smashed his second solo home run of the game, again over the left field fence, to make the score 2-0.
Graduate student third baseman
Cooper Mrowka then doubled down the left field line and moved to third on a ground out. With two outs, second baseman
Daniel Brooks doubled off the wall in left, with Mrowka cruising home to extend the lead to 3-0.
Freshman outfielder
Jordan Smith reached on an error to keep the inning going and outfielder
Cam Reckling singled to left to put runners on first and second.
Mason first baseball
Scott Morgan drove in Smith with a single up the middle, with Reckling also scoring on a throwing error on the play to make it a 5-0 game. Morgan would later score on a fielding error by the first baseman to tack on the Patriots sixth run of the inning.
Stoudemire, who made his third start of the season on the mound, cruised through the first three innings. He allowed just one single and three base runners.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Explorers took advantage of a fielding error and plated two unearned runs to cut the Mason lead to 7-2.
Mason shortstop
Peter Nielsen led off the top of the seventh with a double down the right field line and with two outs, catcher
Bailey Klein drove in his first run of the season with a RBI-double to center to pad the advantage to 8-2.
The Patriots added two insurance runs in the ninth. Nielsen and Stoudemire walked and Mrowka was hit by a pitch to load the bases. With one out, Brooks drove in his second run of the game with a single to left and Smith knocked in a run with a ground out to make the score 10-2.
La Salle rallied in the bottom of the ninth against Patriots reliever
Mason Posey. The Explorers scored three runs on five hits to trim the lead to 10-5.
For the Patriots, Stoudemire (1-2) allowed two runs on six hits in 6.2 innings to earn his first win in a Mason uniform. Posey gave up three runs on five hits in 2.1 innings of work.
For the Explorers, Scanlon (1-2) surrendered seven runs, three earned, on eight hits in 4.0 innings and took the loss. Senior Mike Jenkins allowed one run on three hits in 3.0 innings, while classmate Colin Kennedy gave up two runs on two hits in 2.0 innings.
Stoudemire went 2-for-4, hit his first two home runs, drove in two runs and scored three runs. Klein was 3-for-5 with two doubles and drove in a run. Brooks, who also had a strong game in the field with eight assists, and Morgan each finished with two hits, one RBI and scored a run.
GAME TWO (7 INNINGS)
Mason (2-5) freshman starter
Kieran Versaw-Barnes, making his first career start, and La Salle (5-6) freshman starter Frank Elissalt dominated through the first three innings.
Versaw-Barnes retired nine of the first 10 batters he faced in the game, with six strike outs, while Elissalt allowed two singles and struck out seven over the first three frames.
Mason struck first in the top of the fourth.
Morgan drew a leadoff walk, Klein singled and Nielsen reached on a fielder's choice to load the bases with no outs.
Stoudemire drove in the first run of the game with a ground out, with Morgan racing across the plate to put the Patriots up 1-0. Elissalt was able to limit the damage when he struck out Brooks to end the inning with the bases loaded.
The Explorers tied the game with one swing of the bat in the home half of the fourth when junior catcher Tatem Levins hit his first home run of the season, a solo shot over the right field fence to make the score 1-1.
In the top of the sixth, Nielsen led off the inning with his first home run of the season, a blast that cleared the right field fence, to give the Patriots a 2-1 advantage.
The Explorers responded in the bottom of the sixth.
With one out, senior outfielder Alfonse Sadallah singled and went to second on a throwing error, and sophomore infielder Connor Coolahan dropped down a bunt single to put runners on the corners. Levins then drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to tie the score, 2-2.
Sophomore outfielder Elijah Dickerson followed with a two-run homer, his first of the season, to give the Explores the lead for good. Levins and Dickerson each drove in two runs for La Salle.
Versaw-Barnes (0-1) allowed four runs on four hits and struck out nine in 6.0 innings and took the loss in the complete game effort.
Elissalt (1-0) gave up two runs on four hits and struck out 11 to earn the win. Sophomore reliever Jordan Morales pitched the seventh to pick up his second save of the season.
Klein went 2-for-3 for his second multi-hit game of the afternoon.
The Patriots wrap up the weekend on Sunday afternoon against UMBC at Alumni Field in Baltimore, Md. The first pitch is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.
