Box score (PDF)
 
AMHERST, Mass. – The Patriots dropped the first game of their series to Massachusetts, 9-8, on Friday at Earl Lorden Field in Amherst, Mass.
 
Mason (14-26, 6-7 A-10) scored six runs over the first four innings against UMass (19-16-1, 7-6 A-10) senior starter Kevin Dow.
 
Mason junior first baseman South Trimble and junior second baseman Brett Stallings led off the game with back-to-back singles to put runners on the corners.  With two outs, Mason executed a double steal, with Trimble racing home to put the Patriots in front, 1-0.
 
In the second inning, graduate student left fielder Kamron Smith was hit by a pitch to start the frame.  Senior designated hitter Scott Morgan and senior third baseman Daniel Brooks followed with base hits to load the bases.
 
After Smith was erased on a fielder's choice, Morgan scored on a fielder's choice ground out to double the lead.  Again, the Patriots were successful on a double steal, with Brooks racing home to make it a 3-0 game.
 
With two outs in the top of the third, freshman catcher Connor Dykstra singled to left and Smith smashed a double to right field, with Dykstra crossing the plate to extend the lead to 4-0.
 
The Minutemen threatened in the home half of the third, but Mason freshman starter Chad Gartland was able to escape a bases-loaded jam with a fly out to end the inning.  Gartland allowed just three singles over the first four frames.
 
Brooks led off the top of the fourth with a solo home run over the right field fence, and freshman right fielder Brett Ahalt drove in a run with a two-out double to extend the advantage to 6-0.
 
UMass got on the board in the bottom of the fifth.  Graduate student Collin Shapiro led off with a single and scored on a sacrifice fly by sophomore center fielder Kevin Skagerlind to make it 6-1.
 
In the sixth, Mason added to the lead against UMass sophomore reliever Max LeBlanc.
 
Freshman center fielder Alex Knapp led off with a single, moved to second on a balk and went to third on a wild pitch.  With one out, Stallings delivered with a single to center, with Knapp coasting home to increase the lead to 7-1.
 
The Minutemen responded in the bottom of the inning when senior Aiden Wilde knocked in a run with a fielder's choice ground out to cut the deficit to five runs.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, UMass sent nine batters to the plate against Gartland and senior reliever Mason Posey and scored five runs on two hits and two errors to tie the score, 7-7.
 
The Patriots wasted no time taking the lead back against UMass senior reliver Tucker Wittman in the eighth.
 
Trimble was hit by a pitch to start the inning and moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Stallings.  After a fly out, graduate student shortstop Danny Hosley drove in the go-ahead run with a single to left field for the 8-7 advantage.
 
The Minutemen went in front for good in the home half of the inning when freshman right fielder Will MacLean ripped a two-out, two-run double to left field to give UMass its first and only lead, 9-8.
 
The Patriots loaded the bases in the ninth against UMass junior reliever Jack Pawloski but were unable to plate a run.
 
For the Patriots Gartland allowed five runs, four earned, on eight hits in 6.0 innings.  Posey (2-3) gave up four runs, three earned, on four hits in 1.2 innings and took the loss.  Sophomore Christian Mracna retired the lone batter he faced to end the eighth inning.
 
For the Minutemen, Dow allowed six runs on nine hits in 5.0 innings.  LeBlanc gave up one run on three hits in 2.0 innings.  Wittman (2-1) surrendered one run on one hit in an inning of work and picked up the win.  Pawloski pitched the ninth to notch his fourth save of the season.
 
Trimble went 2-for-4 with a RBI and two runs scored, Brooks went 2-for-4 with a homer and two runs scored and Smith finished 2-for-3 and drove in a run.  Stallings and Ahalt also had two hits in the game.
 
Every player in the lineup had at least one hit for the Patriots.
 
The Patriots and Minutemen will play the middle game of the series on Saturday with the first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. at Earl Lorden Field.