Box Score (PDF)

RICHMOND, Va. – The George Mason baseball team dropped the first of a four-game series to VCU, 9-2, on Friday night at The Diamond in Richmond, Va.

Mason (9-19, 2-7 A-10) fell behind in the bottom of the fourth when VCU (24-14, 6-3 A-10) plated a run against Patriots junior starter Jared Lyons.

With two outs in the inning, VCU drew four straight walks, with freshman shortstop Connor Hujsak forcing in a run to put the Rams in front 1-0.

In the home half of the fifth, the Rams put runners on the corners with a double and single.  The Patriots made a pitching change with junior Nick Zegna taking over on the mound.

VCU senior first baseman Steven Carpenter knocked in a run with a sacrifice fly and junior designated hitter Liam Hibbits drove in a run with a double to make it a 3-0 game.

VCU graduate student starter Bradford Webb allowed just two hits over the first five innings before turning the game over to freshman Tyler Davis.

The Patriots got on the board in the top of the seventh.  With two outs, graduate student catcher Kyle Hayes doubled to left field.  After a walk, senior second baseman Daniel Brooks drove in Hayes with a double to cut the lead to 3-1.

The Rams broke the game open in the bottom of the seventh, sending 11 batters to the plate and scoring five runs on a solo home run, five walks and two hit batters to extend the advantage to 9-1.

In the top of the ninth, Hayes led off with a single, moved to second on a ground out and went to third on a wild pitch.  Brooks drove in his 12th run of the season with a ground out for the 9-2 final.

For the Patriots, Lyons (4-2) allowed three runs on two hits in 4.0 innings and took the loss.  Zegna surrendered four runs on three hits in 2.1 innings.  Graduate student Jonathan Kaiser gave up two runs and retired one batter.  Junior Matthew Henson pitched 1.1 innings.

For the Rams, Webb (3-1) scattered two hits over 5.0 scoreless innings to earn the win.  Davis allowed two runs on four hits over 4.0 innings to pick up his fourth save of the season.

Brooks went 1-for-4 with a double and drove in both runs.  Hayes was 2-for-4 with a double and a single and scored both runs for the Patriots.  Senior left fielder Cam Reckling went 2-for-4 with a double and a single.

The Patriots and Rams play a doubleheader on Saturday at The Diamond, with the first pitch for game one scheduled for 2 p.m.  Both games will be seven innings.