Box Score Game One (PDF)
Box Score Game Two (PDF)
FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason baseball team split a doubleheader on Saturday against La Salle at Spuhler Field in Fairfax, Va.
Mason (3-7, 0-0 A-10) defeated La Salle (7-8, 0-0 A-10) in game one, 8-3. The Explorers took the night cap, 7-1.
GAME ONE
Mason junior starter
Jared Lyons and La Salle senior starter Colin Scanlon traded scoreless frames over the first four innings.
The Patriots took the lead in the bottom of the fifth.
Mason infielder
Daniel Brooks led off with a double to right-center and freshman outfielder
Jordan Smith singled and advanced to second. With one out, senior designated hitter
Scott Morgan grounded into a fielder's choice, with Brooks thrown out at the plate.
Mason outfielder
Bailey Klein then drove in two runs with his first career triple, a ball that tailed away from the center fielder and went all the way to the wall, with Smith and Morgan scoring to put the Patriots up 2-0.
The Patriots added a run in the seventh.
With one out, Smith doubled to center before the Explorers made the call to the bullpen for sophomore reliever Dylan Maria. Smith stole third and scored when left fielder
Cam Reckling dropped down a bunt single to make it a 3-0 game.
While the Patriots built the lead, Lyons cruised along into the eighth. He allowed four hits, two singles and two doubles, and struck out eight, before turning the game over to the bullpen with one out in the eighth.
The Explorers sent nine batters to the plate in the inning and scored three runs on two hits and took advantage of four walks to tie the game, 3-3.
The Patriots responded in the bottom of the eighth with five runs on two hits, two walks and four hit by pitch.
Klein was hit by a pitch and with one out, and shortstop
Peter Nielsen and third baseman
Cooper Mrowka both singled to load the bases. Maria then issued walks to catcher
Kyle Hayes and Brooks to force in two runs to put Mason back in the lead, 5-3.
Smith drove in a run when he was hit by a pitch, Reckling knocked in a run with a ground out and Klein, who started the rally, forced in another run in the inning with a walk to make it 8-3.
For the Patriots, Lyons allowed two runs on four hits and struck out eight in 7.1 innings for his second no-decision in as many starts. Junior
Stuart Barrett gave up one run on one hit and retired one batter in the eighth inning. Junior
Mason Posey (1-0) tossed 1.1 scoreless innings and struck out two to earn the win.
For the Explorers, Scanlon allowed three runs on seven hits in 6.1 innings in a no-decision. Maria (0-1) surrendered five runs on three hits in one inning of work and took the loss. Sophomore Jordan Morales retired two batters, but allowed three inherited runners to score and hit three batters.
Klein went 2-for-3 with a triple, single, and three RBI. He reached base four times and also scored a run. Smith was 2-for-4 with a double, RBI and two runs scored. Reckling drove in two runs, while Hayes and Brooks each plated a run.
GAME TWO
La Salle took the lead in the top of the second against Mason freshman starter
Kieran Versaw-Barnes.
Center fielder Nick DiVietro led off with a walk, graduate student right fielder Ryan Guckin singled and first baseman Dylan Maria hit a three-run home run over the center field fence to put the Explorers in front, 3-0.
La Salle doubled the advantage with three runs on five hits, including a triple and two doubles, in the top of the fourth to make it a 6-0 game.
La Salle sophomore left fielder Elijah Dickerson hit a solo home run off of Mason reliever
Austin Cabone in the seventh to increase the lead to 7-0. Dickerson had three hits in the game.
Explorers freshman starting pitcher Frank Elissalt did the rest. He allowed just two hits and four total baserunners over the first six innings. Elissalt retired 14 in a row from the second through the seventh.
In the home half of the eighth, the Patriots dented the scoreboard with their lone run of the game with two outs. Reckling walked and raced around to score when Morgan tripled to center field. It was Morgan's first career triple.
For the Patriots, Versaw-Barnes (0-2) allowed six runs on nine hits in 5.0 innings. and took the loss. Cabone gave up one run on three hits and struck out four in 4.0 innings.
For the Explorers, Elissalt (2-0) surrendered one run on four hits and struck out 10 in 8.0 innings to earn the win. Freshman Colin Yablonski tossed one scoreless inning.
The Patriots are back on the road on Sunday, March 21, against Richmond with the first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m. at Pitt Field in Richmond, Va.
