Box Score (PDF)

SALISBURY, Md. – The Patriots defeated the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, 4-3, in their final road game of the season on Tuesday at the Parker Athletic Complex in Salisbury, Md.

The Patriots have won six straight games and 11 of their last 14.

Freshman Michael Salina notched his first collegiate save.

Mason (28-22, 12-8 A10) took the lead against UMES (16-34, 12-15 NEC) graduate student Blake Rebstock in the top of the first.
 
With on out, junior right fielder Derek Wood singled and stole second.  Junior center fielder Jordan Smith then walked and the Patriots executed the double steal to put a pair of runners in scoring position.  Sophomore first baseman Reece Woody lifted a sacrifice fly to left to put the Patriots in front, 1-0. 

The Patriots have scored the first run in seven of their last eight games.

Mason junior starter Nick Martins tossed two hitless innings in his fourth start of the season.

In the bottom of the third, Mason freshman Tyler Herkey walked the first two batters and the Hawks scored a run on an error and another on a sacrifice fly to take a 2-1 lead.

With one out in the top of the fifth, sophomore shortstop Carsen Pracht hit a solo home run to left off Hawks freshman reliever Andrew Jackson to tie the game 2-2.

The Patriots took the lead in the top of the seventh against Hawks junior Riley Horner.  Mason freshman catcher Bennett Shealor led off with a single and with one out, Wood tripled to center to plate a run to give the Patriots the edge, 3-2.  Wood then scrambled home on a passed ball to make it 4-2.

Sophomore Britt Yount, graduate student Mason Posey and Salina combined to keep the Hawks off the board from the fourth through the eighth inning.

UMES graduate student Bantley Cutler hit a solo home run in the home half of the ninth but Salina recorded a strikeout and a pop out to end the game.

For the Patriots, Martins tossed 2.0 hitless innings.  Herkey allowed two unearned runs in 1.0 inning.  Yount allowed just one hit in 3.0 innings of work.  Posey (2-3) tossed the seventh inning and enticed three groundouts.  Salina gave up one run on one hit and picked up his first career save.

The Hawks used six pitchers in the game.  Rebstock allowed one run on one hit in 1.0 inning.  Jackson surrendered one run on three hits in 2.0 innings.  Horner (0-1) gave up two runs on two hits in 2.0 innings.

Wood went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, Shealor was 2-for-3 with a run scored and Pracht finished 1-for-3 with his second home run of the season.

The Patriots host Saint Joseph's for a three-game series beginning Thursday with the first pitch scheduled for 3 p.m. at Spuhler Field.