Box score (PDF)
Championship Central | Photos
 
FAIRFAX, Va. – The fifth-seeded Patriots fell to top-seeded Davidson, 6-2, in the second round of the Atlantic 10 Baseball Championship on Wednesday afternoon at Wilson Field in Davidson, N.C.
 
Mason (23-32) sophomore starter Ryan Peterson and Davidson junior starter Nolan Devos (43-11) kept the game scoreless over the first three innings.  Peterson threw 104 pitches in the outing, his second-most this season.
 
The Patriots threatened with two outs in the bottom of the second. 
 
Freshman right fielder Brett Ahalt and freshman catcher Connor Dykstra each singled, and senior designated hitter Daniel Brooks walked to load the bases.  Devos got out of the jam with an inning-ending strikeout.
 
The Wildcats took the lead in the bottom of the fourth.  Junior left fielder Henry Koehler led off with a double and with two outs, freshman designated hitter Jacob Friend singled through the left side, with Koehler racing around from second to put Davidson in front, 1-0.
 
In the bottom of the sixth, the Wildcats put runners on first and third with a pair of singles.  With two outs, Friend ripped a two-run double into the right field corner to increase the lead to 3-0.
 
The Patriots got a run back in the top of the seventh against Davidson junior reliever Bennett Flynn.
 
With one out, freshman shortstop Carsen Pracht walked and junior first baseman South Trimble reached on a fielder's choice, with Pracht going all the way to third on a throwing error.  After a strike out, Pracht scrambled home on a wild pitch, reaching out with his right hand to beat the tag, to make it a 3-1 game.
 
Davidson responded in the home half of the seventh against Mason senior reliever Matthew Henson.  After a leadoff walk, Wildcats senior right fielder Trevor Candelaria hit a two-run home run over the left field fence to extend to advantage to 5-1.
 
The two teams traded single runs in the eighth.
 
Mason graduate student third baseman Danny Hosley led off with a single and graduate student left fielder Kamron Smith walked.  With one out, Dykstra plated a run with a single to make the score 5-2.
 
The Wildcats scored the final run of the game in the bottom of the inning on a RBI-double by Friend off Mason sophomore reliever Christian Mracna to make it 6-2.
 
For the Patriots, Peterson (4-3) allowed three runs on six hits in 5.2 innings and took the loss.  Henson gave up two runs on one hit and retired one batter in the sixth.  Mracna surrendered one run on one hit and struck out three in 2.0 innings.
 
For the Wildcats, Devos (9-2) scattered four hits and struck out seven in 6.0 shutout innings to earn the win.  Flynn allowed two runs on two hits in 3.0 innings and picked up his sixth save of the season.
 
Dykstra went 2-for-3 and drove in a run, while Hosley and Pracht each scored a run for the Patriots.
 
Mason will play in an elimination game, facing either Rhode Island or Richmond on Thursday, with the first pitch scheduled for 1:30 p.m. at Wilson Field.