Box score (PDF)

DAYTON, Ohio – The Patriots dropped the first game of their Atlantic 10 series against the Flyers, 11-6, on Friday afternoon at Woerner Field in Dayton, Ohio.

George Mason (23-24, 13-12 A-10) took the lead against Dayton (28-20, 12-13 A-10) sophomore starter Sawyer Jensen in the top of the first.  Freshman third baseman Jackson Morse led off with a single and senior shortstop Owen Clyne was hit by a pitch.  With one out, graduate student Luciano Terilli singled through the right side to put the Patriots in front, 1-0.

In the bottom of the second, Dayton sent 10 batters to the plate and scored six runs on three hits, three walks and a three-run throwing error with two outs to take the lead against Patriots senior starter Logan Rumberg.

The Patriots got three runs back in the top of the third.  With one out, sophomore left fielder Lucas Alberti tripled and Terilli followed with a walk to put runners on the corners.  With two outs, junior first baseman Jake Butler ripped a two-run double to left-center and senior designated hitter Evan Blanchard singled in a run to cut the Flyers lead to 6-4.

In the bottom of the third, Flyers freshman designated hitter Colin Lynch hit a two-run home run to make it 8-4.

In the top of the fifth, Alberti led off with a double down the left field line and scored on a ground out to trim the advantage to 8-5.  The Flyers responded in the home half of the inning with a leadoff double and two-out, RBI-single to make the score 9-5.

Dayton added single runs in the sixth and seventh innings against Patriots junior reliever Parker Thomas to extend the lead to 11-5.

The Patriots scored the final run of the game in the top of the eighth against Flyers sophomore reliever Carson Samuels for the 11-6 final score.

For the Patriots, Rumberg (5-3) allowed nine runs, six earned, on six hits in 5.0 innings and took the loss.  Thomas gave up two runs, one earned, on two hits in 3.0 innings.

Alberti went 3-for-5 with a double and a triple, and scored two runs.  Blanchard was 2-for-3 with a walk, RBI and scored a run.  Butler finished 1-for-3 with a walk, two RBI and scored a run.

For the Flyers, Jensen (7-2) allowed five runs on eight hits in 5.2 innings and earned the win.  Samuels gave up one run on two hits in 3.1 innings.

The Patriots and Flyers play the middle game of the series on Saturday with the first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. at Woerner Field in Dayton, Ohio