Box score

FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason baseball team fell to Georgetown, 5-4, on Wednesday afternoon at Spuhler Field.

Mason (7-9) freshman starter Chad Gartland and Georgetown senior starter Carter Bosch (10-6) each allowed just one hit over the first three innings to keep the game scoreless.

The Hoyas took the lead in the top of the third against Mason freshman Britt Yount and graduate student Chris Ruckdeschel.

Hoyas junior shortstop Andrew Ciufo led off with a walk and with one out, graduate student left fielder Evan Blum singled.  Blum was thrown out trying to steal second before senior designated hitter Alex Rosen drew a walk, and senior catcher Matt Stone was hit by a pitch to load the bases.

Sophomore center fielder Michael Eze then had the big hit in the inning with a two-run single to center to put the Hoyas in front, 2-0.

The Patriots responded in the home half of the fourth.  With two outs, senior designated hitter Daniel Brooks doubled down the left field line.  Freshman catcher Tyler Cotten followed with a single up the middle, with Brooks racing home to make it a one-run game.

In the top of the fifth, Georgetown again went up by two runs.  Graduate student second baseman Ethan Stern led off with a single, stole second and went to third on a wild pitch.  With two outs, Blum beat out an infield single against the shift, with Stern crossing the plate to make the score 3-1.

The Hoyas added two more in the top of the sixth.  Stern knocked in a run with a single and graduate student third baseman Cam Meyer scored on a wild pitch to increase the lead to 5-1.

The Patriots began to chip away at the lead in the home half of the sixth.

Graduate student third baseman Danny Hosley led off with a walk and Cotten ripped a one-out double to left field to put a pair of runners in scoring position.  Sophomore center fielder Jordan Smith plated a run with a ground out to cut the deficit to 5-2.

In the seventh, junior second baseman Brett Stallings singled to start the inning and moved to second on a ground out.  Freshman shortstop Carsen Pracht ran the count full before he singled to left, with Stallings scoring to make the score 5-3.

The Patriots put together a rally in the ninth.

Smith led off with an infield single and went to second on a wild pitch.  After a walk to pinch hitter Connor Dykstra, junior Craig Miles, Jr. entered the game as a pinch runner.  Smith stole third to put runners on the corners.  Stallings then dropped down a perfect sacrifice bunt, with Smith racing home to make it a one-run game, 5-4.

With the tying run on second and first base open, the Hoyas gave an intentional free pass to junior first baseman South Trimble.  Pracht sent a fly ball to right-center that was caught by the right fielder, who threw to second base to double up the runner.

The Patriots used eight pitchers in the game.  Gartland allowed just one hit and struck out five in 3.0 innings in the no-decision.  Yount (0-2) gave up two runs on two hits in 0.2 innings and took the loss.  Sophomores Christian Mracna and Stephen Restuccio, and senior Mason Posey each tossed one scoreless inning.

The Hoyas used six pitchers on the afternoon.  Bosch (2-1) allowed one run on six hits in 5.0 innings to earn the win.  Senior Angelo Tonas got out of the jam in the ninth to pick up his third save of the season.

Smith went 2-for-4 with a RBI and scored a run, Cotten was 2-for-4 and drove in a run, and Pracht finished 2-for-5 and knocked in a run.

The Patriots are back in action with three games against William & Mary this weekend.  Mason travels to Williamsburg, Va. on Friday with the first pitch scheduled for 3 p.m.  The Patriots host the Tribe Saturday (12 p.m.) and Sunday (1 p.m.) at Spuhler Field.