Box score (PDF)

DAVIDSON, N.C. – The George Mason baseball team dropped the first game of its series at Davidson, 17-4, on Thursday at Wilson Field in Davidson, N.C.

Mason (21-30, 12-10 A10) fell behind Davidson (41-10, 19-3 A10) in the bottom of the first when the Wildcats scored a pair of runs against Patriots graduate student starter Ben Shields.

Wildcats sophomore catcher Michael Carico led off with a double, then senior right fielder Trevor Candelaria and senior center fielder Parker Nolan each walked to load the bases.  With one out, junior left fielder Henry Koehler drove in a pair of runs with a sacrifice fly to put Davidson in front, 2-0.

The Patriots got on the board in the top of the second against Davidson junior starter Nolan Devos. 

With one out, graduate student left fielder Kamron Smith tripled to center and freshman catcher Connor Dykstra was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and third.  When senior designated hitter Daniel Brooks drew a walk, Smith raced home on a wild pitch to make it a 2-1 game.

The Wildcats batted around in the bottom of the fourth and scored six runs on three hits against Patriots senior Mason Posey to increase the lead to 8-1.  Candelaria had the big hit in the inning with a grand slam.

In the home half of the fifth, the Wildcats sent 10 batters to the plate and scored six more runs on five hits against Patriots senior Matthew Henson.  For the second straight inning, Candelaria hit a grand slam as Davidson built a 14-1 lead.

The Wildcats tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the sixth to make it 16-1.

The Patriots scored the next three runs.  Mason junior Brett Stallings drove in a pair of runs in the top of the seventh with a double, and Smith doubled and scored on a throwing error in the top of the eighth.

Davidson added a run in the bottom of the eighth for the 17-4 final score.

The Patriots used six pitchers in the game.  Shields (2-3) allowed two runs on one hit and struck out five in 2.1 innings and took the loss.  Posey gave up six runs on four hits in 1.1 innings.  Henson surrendered six runs on five hits in 1.1 innings. 

Sophomore Christina Mracna, classmate Stephen Restuccio and freshman Britt Yount each pitched an inning.

For the Wildcats, Devos (8-2) allowed one run on two hits in 5.0 innings to earn the win.  Freshman Isaac Fix gave up three runs on three hits in 3.2 innings and junior Jacob Peaden recorded the final out.

Stallings went 1-for-3 with two walks and two RBI, and Smith was 2-for-4 with two runs scored.

The Patriots and Wildcats play the middle game of the series on Friday with the first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m. at Wilson Field.