Box score (PDF)

FAIRFAX, Va. – Sophomore right fielder James Quinn-Irons tied the game with a two-out, two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth but the George Mason baseball team fell to Davidson, 9-7, in 11 innings on Thursday at Spuhler Field.

Senior catcher Connor Dykstra went 3-for-5 with one RBI and one run scored, senior first baseman Reece Woody was 2-for-4 with a run scored and graduate student second baseman South Trimble hit his second home run of the season.

Davidson (23-27, 9-13 A10) took the lead against George Mason (20-31, 6-16 A10) sophomore starter Owen Stewart in the top of the second.

Freshman right fielder Sider Canon led off with a double and senior second baseman Jake Wilhoit followed with a two-run home run to left field to put the Wildcats in front, 2-0.

The Patriots responded in the home half of the second against Wildcats sophomore starter Wilson Perkins.

Woody led off with a single and with one out, Dykstra doubled to right-center to put the Patriots on the board.  After Dykstra advanced to third on a wild pitch, sophomore third baseman Evan Blanchard drove in a run with a sacrifice bunt to tie the game 2-2.

In the top of the third, Davidson sophomore center fielder Aiden Rice led off with a walk and scored with two outs on a single by junior first baseman Eli Putnam to make it a 3-2 game.

With one out in the bottom of the fourth, Trimble belted a solo home run to left field to even the score 3-3.

The Patriots took the lead in the bottom of the fifth.  Senior shortstop Carsen Pracht led off with a triple to the wall in center field and senior left fielder Derek Wood ripped a RBI-single to center to give the Patriots a 4-3 advantage.  Graduate student designated hitter Ben Jones doubled to left field to increase the George Mason lead to 5-3.

Senior reliever Kyle Menaker pitched 2.1 scoreless innings from the fourth through the sixth.

In the top of the seventh, the Wildcats loaded the bases against graduate student reliever Luke Goodyear with a single, hit batter and an error.  After a pitching change, Canon cleared the bases with a triple to vault the Wildcats back into the lead, 6-5.  With one out, senior pinch hitter Tyler Douglas plated another run with a single through the right side to make it 7-5.

The Patriots tied it up in the bottom of the ninth against Davidson freshman reliever Jason Ban.  With two outs, Wood singled up the middle and Quinn-Irons then smashed his 13th home run of the season to left field to send the game to extra innings, 7-7.

After a leadoff walk in the top of the 10th, Wildcats senior shortstop Nick Calero hit a two-run home run to left field to lift Davidson to the 9-7 win.

The Patriots used seven pitchers in the game.  Stewart allowed three runs on four hits in 3.0 innings.  Menaker gave up one hit in 2.1 innings.  Goodyear surrendered three unearned runs and retired two batters.  Junior Britt Yount was charged with one run on two hits in 2.0 innings.  Freshman Shaun Okeeffee gave up one run in 1.0 inning.  Sophomore Logan Rumberg (1-5) allowed one run on one hit and retired two batters.

For the Wildcats, Perkins allowed five runs on eight hits in 7.0 innings.  Ban (2-1) gave up two runs on two hits in 2.0 innings.  Sophomore Matt Weber pitched the 10th to pick up the save.

The Patriots and Wildcats wrap up the series on Friday with a doubleheader with the first pitch for game one scheduled for noon at Spuhler Field.