Box score (PDF)

DAYTON, Ohio – The Patriots dropped the middle game of their series to the Flyers, 17-10, on Saturday afternoon at Woerner Field in Dayton, Ohio.

Mason (15-17, 3-5 A10) took the lead against Dayton (22-12, 6-2 A10) junior starter Chris Peguero in the top of the first inning.

With one out, senior center fielder Jordan Smith doubled to center and with two outs, junior catcher Connor Dykstra was hit by a pitch.  Sophomore right fielder James Quinn-Irons then hit his first triple of the season to put the Patriots in front, 2-0.

Graduate student catcher Socrates Bardatsos knocked in another run with a single to right field to make it 3-0.

Dayton responded in the bottom of the inning against Mason redshirt sophomore starter Konner Eaton.

The Flyers sent eight batters to the plate and scored five runs on four hits to take a 5-3 lead.  Sophomore first baseman Eddie Yamin hit a two-run home run and graduate student catcher Nolan Watson drove in two runs with a single.

In the top of the second, junior shortstop Carsen Paracht led off with a single and senior left fielder Derek Wood reached on a throwing error to put both runners in scoring position.  Graduate student second baseman South Trimble and Smith each drove in a run with a groundout to tie the game, 5-5.

Quinn-Irons led off the top of the third with a single, stole second and moved to third on a groundout.  After Dayton summoned graduate student reliever Ryan Steinhauer from the bullpen, sophomore third baseman Evan Blanchard lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to put the Patriots back in the lead, 6-5.

Pracht then singled up the middle and stole second and Wood followed with a RBI-single up the middle to make the score 7-5.

With one out in the home half of the third, the Flyers hit back-to-back solo home runs to tie the game, 7-7.  

In the bottom of the fourth, Dayton sent 11 batters to the plate and scored five runs on three hits and two walks against sophomore reliever Logan Rumberg and freshman reliever Cole Egan to take a 12-7 lead.

The Flyers added four runs on five hits in the home half of the fifth to extend the advantage to 16-7.

The Patriots got three runs back in the top of the sixth.  Pracht doubled with one out and Wood followed with his first home run of the season over the right field fence.  Trimble kept the inning going with a triple to right field and Smith drove him in with a double to left field to make it a 16-10 game.

The Flyers loaded the bases with two walks against sophomore Connor Knox and one walk against junior Britt Yount in the bottom of the seventh and tacked on a run to make it 17-10 when freshman second baseman David Mendez was hit by a pitch.

Mason sent eight batters to the plate and scored four runs on five hits in the top of the eighth to trim the Flyers advantage to 17-14.

Dykstra hit his fifth home run of the season and second in as many games with a two-run blast.  Graduate student designated hitter Ben Jones drove in a run with a double and Smith knocked in a run with a single in the inning.

For the Patriots, Eaton allowed seven runs on eight hits in 3.0 innings.  Rumberg (1-3) gave up five runs, four earned, on two hits and took the loss.  Freshman Cole Egan allowed two runs on three hits in his outing.  Knox surrendered three runs on three hits in 2.1 innings.  Yount pitched 1.1 hitless innings. 

For the Flyers, Peduero allowed six runs on five hits in 2.1 innings.  Senior Austin Brush (1-0) gave up three runs on four hits in 2.1 innings and earned his first win of the season.  Freshman Connor Fennell tossed 1.1 hitless innings to notch his first collegiate save.

Smith went 3-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored.  Quinn-Irons was 3-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored.  Pracht finished 3-for-5 with three runs scored.  Dykstra went 2-for-4 with a home run, two RBI and two runs scored.  Wood was 2-for-4 with a home run, two RBI and two runs scored.

The Patriots and Flyers play the series finale on Sunday afternoon with the first pitch scheduled for noon at Woerner Field in Dayton, Ohio.