FAIRFAX, Va. ? After being held in check for most of the weekend, the Tigers (16-16, 4-5) exploded for seven runs in the final two innings as they came from behind to earn a 9-4 Colonial Athletic Association victory over 25th-ranked George Mason University (28-6, 9-3) in the final game of their three-game weekend series at Spuhler Field on Sunday afternoon. With the win, the Tigers snapped the Patriots' 23-game home field winning streak and also ended George Mason's nine-game winning streak.
The CAA-leading Patriots had also won 24 of their previous 26 games.
While winning the first two games of the series, the Patriot pitching staff had shut down the Tigers' offense. In fact, Towson had scored only eight runs on 18 hits in 25 innings against the Patriot hurlers when they came to bat in the eighth inning.
But, the Tiger bats came to life in the eighth inning as Towson overcame a 3-2 deficit by scoring four runs to take a 6-3 lead. In the ninth, the Tigers added three more runs, upping its lead to 9-4 going into the bottom of the ninth inning.
The Tigers, who hit five home runs in the series finale, belted four homers in the final two innings. Senior catcher Jason Stifler homered twice while sophomore second baseman Chris Wychock hit a clutch three-run homer in the eighth, putting Towson ahead. Junior centerfielder Kevin Collins also hit a solo homer, leading off the ninth inning.
“This was a very important win for us,” said Towson Coach Mike Gottlieb. “While this is a big boost for our confidence, it was a crucial CAA victory for us. When you're fighting for one of those six spots in the CAA Tournament, you need to avoid being swept. As a result, we have a 4-5 CAA record instead of being 3-6 with a loss.”
The Tigers, who lost to the Patriots by 12-0 and 9-6 in the first two games of the series, spotted the Patriots a 2-0 lead on Sunday.
Sophomore righthander Drew Permison, who had his best outing of the season, struggled with his control in the first inning. After centerfielder Spencer Wiggins led off with an infield single, he advanced to second on an infield ground out by junior catcher Chris Henderson. Wiggins went to third base on a wild pitch while senior leftfielder Scott Krieger drew a walk. Then, junior first baseman Jason Bour gave the Patriots a 1-0 lead when he singled to centerfield, scoring Wiggins. After Permison struck out second baseman Ryan Soares, junior designated hitter Mark Hill drew a walk to load the bases. Moments later, Krieger scored on a wild pitch for a 2-0 advantage. Permison worked out of the jam when he got third baseman Dan Palumbo to ground out to third base.
In the third inning, the Tigers tied the score against freshman righthander Ryan Pfaeffle. With two outs, sophomore Steve Freinberg singled to left field. Then, senior shortstop Gary Helmick blasted his tenth home run of the season over the left field fence, a two-run shot that tied the game.
After his shaky first inning, Permison settled down and shut out the Patriots until the bottom of the sixth inning. With the score tied at 2-2, Soares led off the sixth by clouting his fifth home run of the year, a solo shot over the leftfield fence. After shortstop Brent Weiss drew a walk and Ryan Uphouse doubled with two outs, Permison was relieved by senior righthander Josh Squatrito. Squatrito pitched out of the jam by striking out Wiggins.
Trailing by 3-2 entering the eighth inning, the Tigers' offense came to life against junior righthander Ryan Brecko, the Patriots' third pitcher of the game. Kevin Collins started the inning with a double to rightfield. After junior third baseman Steve Yarsinsky was retired on a ground ball, senior first baseman Matt Collins was hit by a pitch, putting two runners on base for Wychock.
Wychock responded by smashing a three-run homer over the left field fence, giving the Tigers a 5-3 lead. It was Wychock's second home run in the series and his seventh home run of the year. Stifler added to the Tigers' lead by belting a solo homer to centerfield.
The Patriots tried to come back in the bottom of the eighth. With one out, Hill doubled down the left field line. A two-out RBI single by Weiss cut the deficit to 6-4 and brought the tying run to the plate. However, Squatrito retired rightfielder Ryan Uphouse on a foul popup to third base.
In the top of the ninth inning, Kevin Collins led off the inning with a solo homer to right, his eighth round tripper of the season, upping the lead to 7-4. With one out, Matt Collins doubled to centerfield. Then, Stifler gave Towson a 9-4 advantage when he clouted a two-run homer to centerfield, his eighth home run of the season.
Squatrito, who shut out the Patriots in the bottom of the ninth inning, earned his fourth win of the season by pitching 3.1 innings of solid relief. He allowed one run on three hits with no walks and six strikeouts. Permison pitched the first 5.2 innings and allowed three runs on six hits with five walks and six strikeouts.
“We got some outstanding pitching from Drew Permison and Josh Squatrito,” added Coach Gottlieb. “They kept us in the game and gave us a chance to win. Drew had a very good curveball and he threw very well. Josh came in and did a great job. I think he struck out the first four batters he faced.”
Stifler, who had his second two-homer game of the season, led the Tigers with three hits and three RBI's. Kevin Collins also had two hits and scored two runs as Towson outhit George Mason, 12-9.
However, Yarsinsky saw his 20-game hitting streak come to an end when he went 0-for-5. His 20-game hitting streak is the fourth-longest hitting streak in school history.
Wiggins and Uphouse paced George Mason with two hits each.
The Tigers return to action on Tuesday when they host Navy at 3:00 p.m. at John B. Schuerholz Park.
