Freshman starting pitcher Chad Gartland allowed just one earned run over a season-high eight innings, graduate student third baseman Danny Hosley hit his fourth home run of the season in the Patriots 7-3 win over George Washington in the first game of the series on Friday afternoon at Spuhler Field.
Due to the forecast of inclement weather, the George Mason baseball team's game against George Washington on Saturday has been moved up, and now has a scheduled first pitch time of 12:30 p.m. at Spuhler Field. The game was originally scheduled to start at 2 p.m.
Mason (19-29, 10-9 A10) fell behind George Washington (20-27, 8-11 A10) in the fourth inning. Senior first baseman Derek Ripp led off with a single and scored on a double by senior catcher Anthony Frechette to put the Colonials in front, 1-0.
The Patriots responded in the home half of the fourth against Colonials senior starter Harrison Cohen, who had retired 10 of the first 11 Patriots batters in the game.
With one out, Hosley smashed his fourth home run of the season, a solo blast over the left field fence to tie the score.
Freshman right fielder Brett Ahalt followed with a walk and graduate student left fielder Kamron Smith reached on a throwing error, with Ahalt racing to third on the play. With two outs, senior designated hitter Daniel Brooks drove in a run with a single through the left side to give the Patriots a 2-1 lead.
Mason added to the advantage with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth.
With one out, junior first baseman South Trimble and junior second baseman Brett Stallings both singled to put runners on the corners. After Hosley walked to load the bases, Ahalt plated a run with a sacrifice fly and Smith knocked in a another with a single to make it 4-1.
The Colonials got a run back in the top of the sixth. Junior shortstop Steve DiTomaso reached base on an error, going to second on the play, and Ripp followed with a single to put runners on the corners. Frechette then drove in his second run of the game with a sacrifice fly to trim the Patriots lead to 4-2.
Mason added two more runs in the bottom of the seventh against Cohen and graduate student reliever Trevor Kuncl.
Stallings led off with a single and with one out, Ahalt singled to put runners on the corners. After Kuncl took over on the mound for the Colonials, Ahalt stole second and went to third while Stallings scrambled home on a wild pitch to increase the lead to 5-2.
Smith followed with a sacrifice fly for his second RBI of the game to make the score 6-2.
In the bottom of the eighth, Brooks led off with a single, moved to second on a passed ball and went to third on a balk. Freshman shortstop Carsen Pracht then dropped down a perfect sacrifice bunt, with Brooks coasting across the plate to extend the lead to 7-2.
The Colonials scored a run in the top of the ninth on a throwing error for the 7-3 final score.
For the Patriots, Gartland (2-1) allowed two runs, one earned, on seven hits in a season-high 8.0 innings to earn the win. He struck out seven and walked just one. Sophomore Christian Mracna pitched the ninth, gave up one run and struck out two batters.
For the Colonials, Cohen (6-7) allowed six runs, five earned, on nine hits in 6.1 innings and took the loss. Kuncl retired two batters in the seventh and sophomore Christopher Kahler gave up one run on one hit in one inning of work.
Brooks went 3-for-4 with a RBI and scored a run, Stallings was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and Smith finished 1-for-3 with two RBI.
The Patriots and Colonials play the middle game of the series on Saturday with the first pitch scheduled for 12:30 p.m. at Spuhler Field.
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