Box Score (PDF)
Championship Central

RICHMOND, Va. – The George Mason baseball team downed Davidson, 15-11, on day two of the 2023 Atlantic 10 Baseball Championship on Wednesday at The Diamond in Richmond, Va.

The Patriots tied their season-high with 19 hits in the game.  Every player in the Mason lineup reached base at least once and seven players drove in at least one run in the game.

Mason graduate student starter Ben Shields didn't allow a hit over the first five innings.

Mason (31-24, 13-10 A10) batted around and took the lead against Davidson (30-23, 15-8 A10) sophomore starter Ryan Fetzko in the bottom of the first inning.

Senior designated hitter South Trimble led off with a double to right field and junior right fielder Derek Wood dropped down a bunt single to put runners on the corners.  Junior center fielder Jordan Smith followed with a RBI-single through the left side to put the Patriots in front, 1-0.

Sophomore catcher Connor Dykstra drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0.  Sophomore first baseman Reece Woody singled up the middle and the Patriots had runners on first and third again.  Senior Brett Stallings and sophomore left fielder Alex Knapp each drove in a run with back-to-back bunt singles to double the early lead to 4-0. 

Freshman third baseman Evan Blanchard then drove in a run with a sacrifice bunt to make it 5-0.  The five runs in the first inning are the most that the Patriots have scored in the first this season.

In the bottom of the third, Dykstra and Woody led off with back-to-back singles and Stallings moved the runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt.  Knapp then plated a run with a ground out to extend the lead to 6-0.

The Patriots sent seven batters to the plate in the bottom of the fourth and scored one run on a sacrifice fly by Jordan Smith and another on a RBI-single by Woody to pad the advantage to 8-0.

Mason continued the offensive outburst in the bottom of the fifth against Davidson freshman Ed Hall.  The Patriots sent eight batters to the plate and scored four runs on three hits and two walks to build a 12-0 lead.  Trimble had a two-run single and Dykstra connected for a two-run double in the inning.

The Wildcats got on the board in the top of the sixth against Shields when junior designated hitter Michael Carico hit a two-run home run over the right field fence.

Davidson loaded the bases in the top of the seventh on a pair of singles and a walk against Mason graduate student Kyle Smith, but he was able to end the threat with a foul out.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Patriots batted around for the second time in the game and scored three important runs against Wildcats junior Miles Jamieson to increase the lead to 15-2.  Woody knocked in a pair of runs with a single and Blanchard forced in a run with a bases loaded walk.

In the top of the eighth, Davidson sent 11 batters to the plate and scored six runs on four hits, two walks and two hit batters against three Mason pitchers, Kyle Smith, sophomore Britt Yount and graduate student Nolan Lamere to trim the lead to 15-8.

The Wildcats scored a run on an error and two more on back-to-back RBI-doubles in the top of the ninth but would get no closer as the Patriots held on for the 15-11 victory.

For the Patriots, Shields (7-3) allowed two runs on two hits in 6.0 innings to earn the win.  Kyle Smith gave up five runs on five hits in 1.1 innings.  Yount allowed one run on one hit in hits outing.  Lamere surrendered three runs, two earned, on two hits in 1.0 inning.  Freshman Logan Rumberg recorded the final two outs on the game.

For the Wildcats, Feczko (6-6) allowed eight runs on 13 hits in 4.0 innings and took the loss.  Hall surrendered four runs on three hits and retired one batter.  Jamieson gave up three runs on three hits in 2.2 innings.

Woody went 4-for-6 with three RBI and one run scored.  Dykstra was 3-for-3 and reached base five times with three RBI and three runs scored.  Trimble finished 4-for-6 with two RBI and scored four runs.

The Patriots face No. 4 Saint Louis on Friday with the first pitch scheduled for 11 a.m. at The Diamond in Richmond, Va.