Box Score (PDF)

RICHMOND, Va. – The Patriots dropped the first game of their Atlantic 10 weekend series to VCU, 5-0, on Friday night at The Diamond in Richmond, Va.

Mason (16-18, 3-4 A10) fell behind VCU (18-16, 4-3 A10) when the Rams scored three runs in the bottom of the first against Patriots graduate student starter Ben Shields.

VCU sophomore third baseman Brandon Eike drove in a pair of runs with a single and sophomore first baseman Jake Thilges plated another with an infield single to put the Rams in front, 3-0.

The Rams scored a run in the bottom of the second on a wild pitch and another in the home half of the fourth on a RBI-double by senior center fielder A.J. Mathis for the final runs of the game to make it 5-0.

Graduate student reliever Kyle Smith tossed three innings of one-hit ball and freshman Logan Rumberg pitched the eighth.

For the Patriots, Shields (5-2) allowed five runs, two earned, on five hits in 4.0 innings and took the loss.  Smith allowed one hit over 3.0 innings and Rumberg pitched a scoreless eighth inning.

For the Rams, freshman starter Zachary Peters (2-3) scattered three hits and struck out eight with one walk over 6.0 innings to earn the win.  Sophomore Brendan Erka allowed two hits over 3.0 innings to notch the save.

Junior right fielder Derek Wood and sophomore catcher Connor Dykstra each went 2-for-4 in the game.

The Patriots and Rams play the middle game of the series on Saturday with the first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m. at The Diamond in Richmond, Va.