Box Score (PDF)

FAIRFAX, Va. – The Patriots built a four-run lead but fell to Dayton, 6-5, in their first Atlantic 10 home game of the season on Friday at Spuhler Field in Fairfax, Va.

Mason (15-15, 2-2 A10) graduate student starter Ben Shields and Dayton (8-20, 3-1 A10) senior starter Mark Manfredi kept the game scoreless through the first two innings.

In the bottom of the third, sophomore right fielder Alex Knapp led off with a triple to left-center.  With one out, senior third baseman South Trimble was hit by a pitch to put runners on the corners.  Knapp then scored on a balk by Manfredi to put the Patriots in front, 1-0.

The Patriots added to the lead in the home half of the fifth.

Sophomore shortstop Carsen Pracht led off with a walk, stole second and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt.  Sophomore left fielder Reece Woody followed with a triple to left-center, with Pracht cruising home to make it 2-0.

Patriots junior center fielder Jordan Smith then lifted a sacrifice fly to center to knock in Woody to extend the lead to 3-0.

Sophomore catcher Connor Dykstra kept the inning going when he was hit by a pitch and stole second.  Junior first baseman Mark Trotta singled through the left side with Dykstra rumbling around to make it a 4-0 game.

Shields allowed just one single over the first five innings but Dayton got on the board in the sixth.

After a one-out walk, junior shortstop Carlos Castillo hit a two-run home run to cut the Mason lead in half, 4-2.

The Patriots added a single run in the bottom of the seventh.  Smith led off with a double and Dykstra walked.  After a pair of pitching changes by the Flyers and with two outs in the inning, junior designated hitter Derek Wood delivered with a RBI-single through the right side to pad the advantage to 5-2.

In the top of the eighth, the Flyers sent eight batters to the plate and scored two runs on two hits.  Dayton loaded the bases against Patriots graduate student reliever Nolan Lamere.  After a pitching change, Flyers graduate student left fielder Jay Curtis plated a run with a fielder's choice ground out against junior Christian Mracna to make it a two-run game, 5-3.

A walk loaded the bases and senior center fielder Keagan Calero singled in a run to trim the Mason lead to 5-4.  Mracna struck out the next two batters to limit the damage.

The Flyers loaded the bases in the top of the ninth on a single, hit by pitch and a one-out single.  The Patriots prevented the tying run from scoring when Trimble made a perfect throw to the plate for a force out. 

Senior second baseman Omar Daniels and Calero were both hit by a pitch to force in two runs to give the Flyers their first lead of the game at 6-5.

In the bottom of the ninth, Smith and Dykstra both walked to put runners on first and second with no outs against Flyers junior Ryan Packard.  Junior Parker Bard entered the game, notched a strikeout and the Flyers ended the game by turning a double play on an infield fly and throwing out Dykstra at second base.

For the Patriots, Shields allowed two runs on two hits with six strikeouts and four walks in 5.1 innings.  Lamere gave up two runs on one hit in 1.2 innings.  Mracna (1-1) surrendered two runs on three hits in 2.0 innings and took the loss.

The Flyers used seven pitchers in the game.  Manfredi allowed four runs on five hits with eight strikeouts in 5.0 innings.  Packard (1-5) earned the win.  Bard entered the game in the ninth and recorded the final three outs to notch the save.

Smith went 1-for-3 with a RBI and run scored, Trotta was 2-for-5 and drove in a run and Woody and Wood each knocked in a run.

The Patriots and Flyers continue the series on Saturday with the first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m. at Spuhler Field.