Box score
CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL

RICHMOND, Va. – The George Mason baseball team fell to Saint Louis, 6-5, at the 2023 Atlantic 10 Baseball Championship on Friday at The Diamond in Richmond, Va.

Mason (31-25, 13-10 A10) fell behind Saint Louis (33-21, 15-9 A10) in the bottom of the first inning.

Saint Louis sophomore center fielder Hayden Moore led off with a single to left field and sophomore right fielder Patrick Clohisy was issued a one-out walk.  Both players advance into scoring position and senior first baseman Cam Redding lifted a sacrifice fly to center, with Moore crossing the plate to put the Billikens in front, 1-0.

The Billikens extended the lead in the bottom of the fourth with three two-out runs against Mason redshirt freshman starter Konner Eaton.  Junior catcher Knox Preston and Moore each drove in a run with a double and freshman shortstop Austin Neuwig plated a run with a single to make it 4-0.

The Patriots sent 10 batters to the plate and rallied in the top of the fifth against Saint Louis junior starter Owen Chaffin.

Sophomore left fielder Alex Knapp, freshman third baseman Evan Blanchard and sophomore shortstop Carsen Pracht each were hit by a pitch to load the bases. 

Junior outfielder Derek Wood and junior center fielder Jordan Smith each forced in a run with a walk to cut the lead to 4-2.

Sophomore catcher Connor Dykstra then tied the game with a two-run single up the middle.  A batter later, sophomore first baseman Reece Woody gave the Patriots a 5-4 lead with a single to left field against Billikens sophomore reliever Jack Weber.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Billikens scored a run on an error and another on a sacrifice fly to take a 6-5 lead.

The Patriots put runners on second and third in the top of the ninth, but Billikens junior closer Ethan Bell recorded the final out.

For the Patriots, Eaton allowed four runs on four hits in 4.0 innings in his 13th start of the season.  Junior Christian Mracna tossed 2.0 scoreless innings.  Freshman Logan Rumberg (4-1) gave up two runs, one earned, in the seventh.  Graduate student Nolan Lamere pitched 2.0 innings.

For the Billikens, Chaffin allowed four runs on two hits in 4.1 innings.  Weber (3-2) gave up one run on five hits in 4.1 innings.  Bell retired one batter to record his fourth save.

The Patriots face No. 3 Dayton in an elimination game with the first pitch scheduled for 3 p.m. at The Diamond in Richmond, Va.