Box score (PDF)

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Patriots fell to No. 11 Virginia, 17-7, on Wednesday night at Disharoon Park in Charlottesville, Va.

Mason (14-25, 6-6 A-10) took the lead over Virginia (32-10, 13-8 ACC) in the first inning against Cavaliers freshman starter Matthew Buchanan.

With one out, junior center fielder South Trimble singled and stole second.  With two outs, graduate student shortstop Danny Hosley singled through the left side, with Trimble racing home to put the Patriots in front, 1-0.

The Cavaliers evened the score in the home half of the first against Patriots senior starter Jared Lyons.  Virginia freshman shortstop Griff O'Ferrall led off with a single, stole second and scored on a two-out base hit by sophomore third baseman Jake Gelof.

In the bottom of the second, the Cavaliers scored three runs on four hits to take a 4-1 lead.  Junior second baseman Max Cotier drove in a pair of runs with a triple and O'Ferrall plated another with a single.

The Patriots batted around in the top of the third and scored five runs on five hits against Buchanan and two Cavaliers relievers, graduate student Will Geerdes and sophomore Alex Greene.

With one out, Trimble and freshman right fielder Brett Ahalt singled.  After a pitching change, Hosley drew a walk to load the bases. 

Graduate student left fielder Kamron Smith singled in a run and freshman designated hitter Connor Dykstra forced in a run with a walk to make it a one-run game at 4-3.  After another call to the bullpen, senior first baseman Scott Morgan plated a run with an infield single to tie the score, 4-4.

Smith then raced home from third on a wild pitch and freshman catcher Tyler Cotten knocked in another with a sacrifice fly to give the Patriots a 6-4 advantage.

Mason freshman Jalen Grant took over on the mound to start the third inning.  The Cavaliers regained the lead with three runs on two hits and three walks to make it a 7-6 game.  Mason freshman Britt Yount enticed a double-play grounder to end the inning.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Cavaliers added three runs on three hits, including a solo home run by Gelof, to increase the lead to 10-6. 

Smith led off the top of the fifth with a walk, stole second and with two outs he scored on a throwing error for the Patriots final run of the game.

Virginia sent 11 batters to the plate in the bottom of the sixth and scored five runs on three hits and three walks against Mason relievers Stephen Restuccio and Matthew Henson to pad the lead to 15-7. 

The Cavaliers added a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh on a two-run double by freshman right fielder Casey Saucke for the 17-7 final.

The Patriots used six pitchers in the game.  Lyons allowed four runs on six hits in 2.0 innings, Grant (0-1) surrendered three runs on two hits and retired one batter and Yount gave up three runs on three hits in 1.2 innings of work.

Restuccio allowed five runs on two hits in one inning, Henson was charged with two runs on four hits in 1.1 innings, while senior Hugh O'Hara tossed 1.2 hitless innings.

The Cavaliers used seven pitchers in the game.  Buchanan allowed three runs on five hits in 2.1 innings, Geerdes gave up three runs on one hit and didn't retire a batter and Greene (1-0) surrendered one run on four hits in 2.1 innings.  Four different relievers combined for four scoreless frames to end the game.

Trimble went 2-for-4 and scored two runs, Smith finished 1-for-3 with a walk, RBI and a run scored, and Ahalt was 2-for-5 and scored a run.  Hosley, Dykstra, Morgan and Cotten each drove in a run.

The Patriots return to Atlantic 10 play when they travel to face Massachusetts for a three game series beginning Friday, with the first pitch scheduled for 3 p.m. in Amherst, Mass.