Box score (PDF)
Championship Central

DAVIDSON, N.C. – The fifth-seeded George Mason baseball team fell to seventh-seeded Richmond, 7-3, in an Atlantic 10 Baseball Championship elimination game on Thursday afternoon at Wilson Field in Davidson, N.C.

Graduate student left fielder Kamron Smith and sophomore center fielder Jordan Smith each homered in the game for the Patriots.

The contest completes the 2022 season for the Green and Gold.  The Patriots went 13-11 in conference play during the regular season, tied for the second-most wins against A-10 opponents since joining the league in 2014.

Mason (23-33, 13-11 A-10) fell behind Richmond (28-25, 11-13 A10) when the Spiders scored a pair of runs in the top of the first inning against graduate student starter Ben Shields.

Spiders graduate student right fielder Christian Beal led off with a walk and junior center fielder Alden Mathes followed with a single to right.  Mason freshman right fielder Alex Knapp came up throwing and threw out Beal at third base.

Senior Dominic Toso then singled to put runners on first and second.  Richmond cashed in when junior left fielder Johnny Hipsman and sophomore catcher Jason Neff connected for back-to-back RBI doubles to put the Spiders in front, 2-0.

After the first five Richmond batters of the game reached base, Shields settled down and allowed just one hit over the next four innings and retired 14 of the final 16 batters he faced before turning the game over to the bullpen.

Richmond senior starter Brenden Argomaniz allowed at least one baserunner in all five of his innings, but didn't surrender a run.

The Spiders batted around in the top of the sixth and scored five runs on five hits against Mason freshman Chad Gartland to increase the lead to 7-0.

Neff hit a two-run home run, Mathes drove in two runs with a triple and freshman second baseman D.J. Pacheco plated a run with a single in the inning.

Mason dented the scoreboard in the bottom of the seventh against Richmond sophomore reliever Josh Willitts.

With two outs, Jordan Smith hit his second home run of the tournament and third of the season, a solo blast over the center field fence to make the score 7-1.

Graduate student third baseman Danny Hosley then singled and Kamron Smith belted his fifth home run of the season, a two-run shot to left to cut the lead to 7-3, but that's as close as the Patriots would get.

For the Patriots, Shields (2-4) allowed two runs on five hits and struck out five in 5.0 innings and took the loss.  Gartland gave up five runs on five hits in the sixth. 

Seniors Mason Posey, Hugh O'Hara and Matthew Henson along with freshman Konner Eaton combined to pitch three scoreless innings.

For the Spiders, Argomaniz allowed five hits over 4.1 scoreless innings.  Willitts (4-2) allowed three runs on four hits and struck out five over 4.2 innings to earn the win.

Jordan Smith went 2-for-5 with his third home run of the year, Kamron Smith was 1-for-4 with his fifth home run of the year, Hosley finished 2-for-5 and scored a run, and junior second baseman Brett Stallings went 2-for-4 with a walk.