Box core (PDF)

BRONX, N.Y. – The George Mason baseball team took the lead into the ninth inning and held on for an 11-10 victory over Fordham on Sunday afternoon at Houlihan Park in Bronx, N.Y.

Junior center fielder Jordan Smith's two-out, solo home run in the top of the ninth was the difference in the game.

Graduate student Mason Posey made his 74th career appearance, tying for the most appearances all-time by a Patriots pitcher (Ryan Brecko 2007-10).

Mason (24-22, 9-8 A10) fell behind Fordham (17-31, 5-13 A10) in the first inning.  The Rams loaded the bases with a leadoff walk and two singles against Mason redshirt freshman starter Konner Eaton.  With one out, senior second baseman Zach Selinger lifted a sacrifice fly to center field to put Fordham in front, 1-0.

The Patriots dented the scoreboard in the top of the second against Fordham junior starter Nolan Hughes. 

Sophomore catcher Connor Dykstra led off with a double and with one out he advanced to third on a wild pitch.  Junior third baseman Mark Trotta sent a sacrifice fly to right field with Dykstra crossing the plate to tie the score, 1-1.

The Patriots generated a run with two outs in the top of the third.  Junior right fielder Derek Wood walked and freshman left fielder James Quinn-Irons singled to put runners on the corners.  After Quinn-Irons stole second, Wood scored on a balk to put the Patriots ahead 2-1.

In the bottom of the third, Rams freshman third baseman Daniel Bucciero hit a solo home run to tie the game again at 2-2.

Fordham took advantage of a pair of Patriots errors and forged ahead in the home half of the fourth with three runs, two unearned, to take a 5-2 lead.

In the top of the fifth, the Patriots sent 11 batters to the plate and scored five runs on six hits and three walks against Hughes and Rams freshman reliever Ryan Egan.

With one out, sophomore shortstop Carsen Pracht walked, senior designated hitter South Trimble singled and Wood legged out an infield single to load the bases.  Quinn-Irons ripped a two-run double down the left field line to make it a one-run game at 5-4. 

Wood would score on a balk for the second time in the game to even the score and Dykstra drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to right field for a 6-5 Mason lead.  Sophomore first baseman Reece Woody kept the inning going with a double down the right field line and Trotta delivered with a RBI-single to extend the Patriots advantage to 7-5.

The Rams got a run back in the bottom of the fifth against Mason graduate student Nolan Lamere when Selinger hit a two-out, solo home run.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Rams tied the game 7-7 on a two-out solo home run by junior center fielder Ryan Thiesse.

Mason graduate student reliver Kyle Smith took over on the mound and pitched two hitless innings.

Mason added three more runs in the top of the seventh against Fordham graduate student Will Simeone and senior Ben Kovel.

With one out, Woody singled and sophomore Alex Knapp entered as a pinch runner.  Trotta drew a walk and then both baserunners moved into scoring position on a wild pitch.  Junior center fielder Jordan Smith then bounced a single back up the middle to knock in a pair of runs to extend put the Patriots up 9-7.

Jordan Smith stole second and raced to third on a failed pickoff attempt.  Senior second baseman Brett Stallings drove in Mason's 10th run of the game with a ground out.

With two outs in the ninth, the Patriots added an important insurance run when Jordan Smith hit his sixth home run of the season, a blast to straightaway center field to pad the lead to 11-7.

The Rams made it a nail-biter with a rally in the bottom of the ninth against Mason junior reliever Kyle Menaker.  With two runners aboard after a leadoff double and a one-out walk, Fordham freshman catcher Tommy McAndrews hit a three-run home run to left center to make it a one-run game at 11-10.

The Rams hit four home runs in the game.

After a walk and the winning run stepping to the plate, the Patriots summoned Posey from the bullpen and he got Rams first baseman Will Findley to ground out to short to end the game.

For the Patriots, Eaton allowed five runs, three earned, on six hits in 4.0 innings.  Lamere (2-0) gave up two runs on three hits in 2.0 innings and picked up the win.  Kyle Smith tossed 2.0 hitless innings.  Menaker surrendered three runs on two hits and retired two batters in the ninth.  Posey recorded the final out of the game and notched his first save of the season.

For the Rams, Hughes allowed seven runs on eight hits in 4.2 innings.  Simeone (0-2) gave up two runs on two hits in 1.1 innings and took the loss.  Kovel surrendered two runs on four hits in 2.2 innings in his outing.

Quinn-Irons went 4-for-5 with two RBI and one run scored.  Jordan Smith was 2-for-3 with a walk, hit by pitch, home run, three RBI and two runs scored.  Woody finished 2-for-4 with one run scored.

The Patriots play their final road series of the season against the George Washington Colonials beginning Friday, May 12, with the first pitch scheduled for 3 p.m. in Washington, D.C.