Box score (PDF)

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Sophomore catcher Connor Dykstra drove in five runs and senior shortstop Brett Stallings knocked in the winning run to lead the Patriots to an 11-10 walk-off win over Maryland on Sunday afternoon in the Winston-Salem NCAA Regional at David F. Couch Ballpark.

The Patriots advanced to the Regional Final for the first time in program history.  Mason has won two games in one NCAA Tournament for the first time.

With the game tied 10-10, Mason loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the ninth inning.  Junior center fielder Jordan Smith was hit by a pitch and Dykstra and sophomore first baseman Reece Woody were both intentionally walked.  Stallings then lifted a sacrifice fly toward the foul line in right field and after the catch, Jordan Smith raced home and with a head-first slide, scored the winning run.

The Patriots scored 11 runs for the second straight game, the most the team has scored in a NCAA Tournament game in program history.  The previous high was in the 1992 East Regional in a 10-2 victory over Rider in Gainesville, Fla. 

Dykstra went 2-for-4 with a three-run home run, five RBI and two runs scored.  The five RBI tied Carsen Pracht for the most in a NCAA Tournament game.  Pracht drove in five runs against Northeastern in an elimination game on Saturday, June 3.

The Patriots recorded their 36th win of the season, the most for the program since 2009.

Mason (36-26) took the lead against Maryland (42-21) sophomore starter Ryan Van Buren in the bottom of the first inning.

With one out, junior outfielder Derek Wood and Jordan Smith both walked.  Dykstra followed with a two-run double to the gap in right-center to put the Patriots in front, 2-0.  With two outs, Stallings drove in Dykstra from third with a single up the middle to make it 3-0.

In the top of the third, Maryland sent 10 batters to the plate and scored five runs on four hits against Mason redshirt freshman starter Connor Eaton and reliever Christian Mracna to take a 5-3 lead. Terrapins junior shortstop Matt Shaw hit a two-run home run and junior second baseman Kevin Keister added a solo home run in the inning.

Maryland added three runs in the top of the fourth to extend the lead to 8-3.  Senior third baseman Nick Lorusso plated a run with a double and fifth-year right fielder Matt Woods drove in a pair of runs with a double.

Mason freshman reliever Owen Stewart entered the game in the fourth and settled the game down.

The Patriots responded in the bottom of the fourth, sending 10 batters to the plate and scoring seven runs on three hits and four walks to vault into the lead, 10-8. 

Dykstra had the big hit in the inning with a three-run blast over the wall in left-center field, while Jordan Smith added a two-run single and senior designated hitter South Trimble plated a run with an infield single.

In the top of the sixth, Woods hit a two-out, two-run home run off Stewart to tie the game, 10-10.

Maryland threatened in the top of the ninth, loading the bases on a single and a pair of walks.  Mason made the call to the bullpen for graduate student Kyle Smith, who got Shaw to ground into a fielder's choice to end the inning.

The Patriots then loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth after Jordan Smith was hit by a pitch and Dykstra and Woody were put on base intentionally.  That set the stage for Stallings and the senior came through with a sacrifice fly to right field to drive in the winning run for the 11-10 victory.

The Patriots will face No. 1 Wake Forest in the Winston-Salem Regional Final with the first pitch scheduled for 6:16 p.m. on Sunday night at David F. Couch Ballpark in Winston-Salem, N.C.