Box score (PDF)

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The George Mason baseball team began the 2022 season with an Opening Day victory over Wofford, 11-10, at Russell C. King Field in Spartanburg, S.C.

After two scoreless innings, Mason (1-0) took the lead in the top of the third against Wofford (0-1) junior starter Matthew Marchal.

With two outs, Patriots junior first baseman South Trimble beat out an infield single and went to second on a throwing error.  Freshman shortstop Carsen Pracht followed with a single to right for his first collegiate RBI to put the Patriots in front, 1-0.

The Terriers responded in the home half of the third against Mason junior starter Jared Lyons.  After a leadoff walk, sophomore outfielder Ben Schulte doubled in a run to tie the game.  He then scored on a ground out to give the Terriers a 2-1 lead.

The Patriots sent 14 batters to the plate and scored nine runs in the top of the fourth.

Graduate student left fielder Kamron Smith singled for his first Mason hit, senior designated hitter Scott Morgan walked and freshman catcher Connor Dykstra reached on an error to load the bases.

Sophomore center fielder Jordan Smith then drove in a pair of runs with a double to put the Patriots back on top, 3-2.

Junior second baseman Brett Stallings followed by driving in a pair of runs and Trimble continued the inning with a RBI-single to make it 6-2.

Pracht was issued a free pass, and graduate student third baseman Danny Hosley drove in his first two runs for the Green and Gold to increase the lead to 8-2.  Dykstra then drove in his first two collegiate runs with a double to make it 10-2 in an inning that saw Mason batters at the plate for more than 30 minutes.

In the home half of the fourth, Wofford junior infielder Ryan Galanie hit a solo home run off Lyons to get a run back. 

In the bottom of the fifth, the Patriots made the call to the bullpen for senior Matthew Henson with two on and one out.  Wofford senior catcher Lawson Hill doubled in a run and Wofford plated another on a groundout to trim the Mason lead to 10-5.

Sophomore Ryan Peterson made his Mason debut when he entered the game to start the seventh.  Galanie led off with a single and scored later in the inning on an error and it was a 10-6 game.

Freshman Chad Gartland also made his collegiate debut, entering the game in the sixth inning to record the final out of the inning.  

The Terriers made it a one-run game in the seventh, scoring three runs to make the score 10-9.

The Patriots added an important insurance run in the top of the ninth.

Jordan Smith led off with a double down the right field line and Stallings followed with a RBI-single, with Smith rumbling home to make it 11-9.

In the home half of the ninth, the Terriers loaded the bases with two out before Gartland retired the final batter of the night on a fielder's choice.

For the Patriots, Lyons allowed five runs, four earned, on five hits in 4.1 innings in a no-decision.  Henson (1-0) retired two batters in the fifth and earned the win.  Gartland picked up the save in his NCAA debut, allowing four runs on five hits in 3.1 innings of works.

For the Terriers, Marchal (0-1) allowed six runs, four earned, on six hits in 3.1 innings and took the loss.  Senior Dom Agron gave up four runs on four hits in 1.2 innings.  Freshman Carter Bailey and senior Dalton Rhandans each pitched two scoreless.

Trimble went 4-for-5 with a walk, two runs scored and drove in a run.  Stallings finished 2-for-5 and drove in three runs.  Jordan Smith and Dykstra each went 2-for-5 with two RBI, while Hosley drove in two runs.

Dykstra, Knapp and Pracht made their NCAA debuts, while Kamron Smith, Hosley and Peterson made their first appearances for Mason.

The Patriots and Terriers play the middle game of the series on Saturday afternoon, with the first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m.