TOWSON, Md. - Sophomore centerfielder Ben Winter pounded out three hits, scored three runs, had three RBI's and made a great catch to end the fifth inning, leading the Tigers (19-35, 11-12) to a 19-9 victory over George Mason University (27-22, 10-13) in the second game of their three-game Colonial Athletic Association series at John B. Schuerholz Park on Saturday afternoon.
The Tigers, who banged out 13 hits, hammered four home runs and scored in every inning but the fourth as they beat the Patriots for the second game in a row. The Tigers also took advantage of 13 walks and three errors. The Tigers had three batters reach base when hit by a pitch.
The Patriots, who were eliminated from CAA Tournament contention on Friday, have now lost ten games in a row. Their ten-game losing streak is longest single season losing streak in school history.
Combined with losses by Hofstra and William & Mary, the Tigers' victory moved them into sole possession of fifth place in the CAA standings. While the Tigers are 11-12 in CAA play, George Mason, William & Mary and Hofstra are tied for sixth place with 10-13 records.
In the win over the Patriots, the Tigers built an 8-1 lead after three innings and held on for the win.
Freshman righthander Michael Trionfo of Towson struggled with his control in the first inning as he walked two of the first three hitters he faced. After a leadoff walk to sophomore leftfielder Brig Tison, he struck out senior shortstop Ryan Soares. When he walked senior third baseman Mark Hill, the Patriots had two runners on base with one out. However, junior shortstop Nick Natoli helped Trionfo escape the inning when he took a ground ball by junior designated hitter Shane Davis and turned it into a double play.
For the second game in a row, the Tigers jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Facing senior righthander Ryan Brecko, Winter led off with a single to right field. Natoli followed with an opposite field double that landed just inches inside the foul line, giving the Tigers runners on second and third with no outs.
Senior rightfielder Kevin Collins, who had four hits and four RBI's in Friday's 9-4 win, gave the Tigers a 2-0 lead when he lined a two-run single to centerfield on a 3-0 pitch from Brecko. After junior second baseman Chris Wychock was retired on a fly ball to right field, Collins stole second base. He advanced to third base when junior designated hitter Steve Rice grounded out to second base. With Collins on third base, the Tigers proceeded to load the bases when freshman leftfielder Kurt Wertz was hit by a pitch and junior third baseman Austin Harclerode drew a walk.
Sophomore catcher Brian Wyman followed with an infield single to shortstop, driving in Collins. When Soares made a bad throw to first base, Wertz also scored, giving Towson a 4-0 lead. Brecko pitched out of the inning when he retired freshman first baseman Cody Reeves on a force play.
In the bottom of the second inning, Winter led off with a solo home run that hit the top of the right field fence and bounced over to give the Tigers a 5-1 lead. It was his second home run of the season. After issuing walks to Collins and Rice, Brecko escaped the jam by striking out Wertz on a 3-2 pitch.
In the top of the third, the Patriots took advantage of a Tiger error to score their first run of the game. Senior catcher Josh Steinberg led off the inning by hitting a ground ball to Harclerode at third base. When Harclerode made a throwing error, Steinberg advanced to second base. While freshman second baseman Chris Cook grounded out to first base, Steinberg reached third base. When Tison grounded out to third base, Steinberg scored to cut the deficit to 5-1. With two outs, Soares provided the Patriots with their first hit when he doubled to right field. It was his 27th double of the season, tying the CAA single season record. However, Trionfo escaped the inning when he slipped a called third strike past Hill.
In the bottom of the third inning, the Tigers batted around for the second time in the game as they knocked Brecko out of the contest. The Tigers scored three runs in the third inning and had only one hit as Patriot pitchers walked four batters and hit another. With one out, Wyman started the rally when he drew a walk. After Reeves was called out for batter's interference, Wyman went to second base on a wild pitch. When Winter lined a single to right, Wyman scored to give the Tigers a 6-1 advantage. It was Winter's third hit of the game. After the single by Winter, Brecko was relieved by freshman lefthander Nick Kendrick.
After issuing a walk to Natoli, Kendrick hit Collins with a pitch to load the bases. When Wychock drew a bases-loaded walk, Winter scored to up the lead to 7-1. Rice also drew a bases-loaded walk as Natoli came in to score the Tigers' eighth run of the game. After facing four batters, Kendrick was relieved by sophomore righthander Branden Bartlett. Bartlett finally ended the inning by striking out Wertz.
Trailing by 8-1 in the fifth inning, the Patriots made a strong bid to get back in the game. Steinberg led off the frame with a single to left. With one out, Steinberg advanced to second base on a wild pitch. Tison doubled to right centerfield, scoring Steinberg to cut the deficit to 8-2. A single to right field by Soares moved Tison to third base with one out. When Hill hit a sacrifice fly to right, Tison scored to make it an 8-3 game. Winter came up with his great catch to end the fifth inning. He chased down a long drive to left centerfield by Davis and crashed into the outfield fence as he made the catch.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Tigers extended their lead to 9-3 by adding another run. With one out, Collins drew a walk. After he stole second base, Wychock singled to centerfield, scoring Collins to give Towson a 9-3 advantage. Bartlett pitched out of the inning by retiring the next two hitters.
In the sixth inning, the Patriots took advantage of control problems by Tiger pitchers. Sophomore rightfielder Dan Schaefferman led off the inning when he drew a walk. Junior first baseman Dan Palumbo was retired on a line drive to left field for the first out. At that point, sophomore righthander Sean Bertrand was summoned from bullpen to relieve Trionfo. Bertrand struggled immediately. After Schaefferman reached second base on a wild pitch, sophomore centerfielder Jeremy Haas was hit by a pitch. Both runners moved into scoring position on a passed ball. A walk to Steinberg loaded the bases.
When Bertrand walked Cook on five pitches, Schaefferman scored to make it a 9-4 lead. After the walk to Cook, Bertrand was relieved by freshman righthander Mike Bronakoski. Bronakoski's first four pitches were balls and Tison walked to force in another run, making it 9-5. A sacrifice fly to left by Soares enabled Steinberg to score, pulling Mason to within 9-6. However, Bronakoski pitched out of the jam by retiring Hill on a fly ball to right field, ending the Patriots' unusual rally. In the sixth inning, George Mason scored three runs and did not have a base hit.
With their lead trimmed to 9-6, the Tigers rallied for two more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Harclerode led off the inning with a single to right field. Wyman also singled on a hit-and-run play as Harclerode reached third base. With one out, Wyman advanced to second base on a wild pitch by junior righthander T.J. O'Grady while Harclerode remained at third base. Moments later, O'Grady uncorked another wild pitch as Harclerode scored and Wyman advanced to third base. Winter drove in the Tigers' 11th run of the game when he hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, the Tigers flexed their muscles as they increased their lead to 14-6 by hitting three solo home runs. Wychock led off the frame by blasting his 12th home run of the season, a long drive over the left field fence. Rice made it back-to-back homers when he launched his seventh homer of the year over the left centerfield fence. After junior righthander Jack Zeltner struck out the next two hitters, Wyman blasted his first home run of the season over the left field fence, giving Towson a 14-6 advantage.
In their half of the eighth inning, the Patriots rallied against junior righthander Tyler Bugna to cut their deficit to 14-9. With one out, Tison singled. Soares followed by belting his 11th home run of the season, a two-run blast over the left centerfield fence. Hill kept the rally going when he drew a walk. Hill advanced to second base on a wild pitch and moved to third base on an infield single by Davis. A sacrifice fly by Schaefferman enabled Hill to score, cutting the lead to 14-9. However, Bugna struck out Palumbo to end the rally.
With two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning, the Tigers rallied for five runs to put the game out of reach. Collins started the rally when he lined a triple to right centerfield. A walk to Wychock gave the Tigers runners at first and third base. When Wychock and Collins pulled off a double steal, the Tigers' lead was up to 15-9. A walk to Rice gave the Tigers two runners on base. When Wertz drew a walk, the Tigers had the bases loaded again. A walk to Harclerode forced in a run as Wychock scored for a 16-9 advantage.
It looked like the Patriots would escape the inning with no further damage when Wyman hit a ground ball to Soares at shortstop. However, Soares made another throwing error and all three runners scored to give the Tigers a 19-9 lead. Reeves struck out to end the inning in which the Tigers scored five runs on one hit.
Freshman righthander Sean Thompson nailed down the victory by pitching a scoreless ninth inning for the Tigers. He allowed one hit and struck out two.
Trionfo earned the win by pitching 5.1 innings. He allowed three earned runs on five hits with three walks and three strikeouts as he upped his record to 3-5.
Brecko suffered his first loss of the season for the Patriots. He gave up six earned runs on six hits in 2.2 innings of work. He walked four and recorded one strikeout.
In the loss, seven Patriot pitchers allowed 15 earned runs on 13 hits. They walked 13 batters, hit three more and had seven strikeouts. Patriot pitchers also threw three wild pitches.
The Tigers, who also stole seven bases in the win, outhit the Patriots by a 13-10 margin. Winter led the Tigers with three hits while Wyman had three hits, scored three runs and drove in two runs. It was the first three-game of his career.
Collins, who is batting .750 in the series, had two hits, scored three runs and drove in two runs. He also walked twice and stole four bases. His four stolen bases tied the school record that was set by Dennis Kaczor in 1979. Collins has now 26 bases in 31 attempts this season.
Wychock was two-for-four with two runs scored and three RBI's. He also walked twice and stole two bases. Rice drew three walks, had one hit, scored two runs and added two RBI's.
The leading hitter in the CAA with a .429 batting average, Soares was three-for-four with a double and a home run. He had three runs batted in. Tison added two hits, scored twice and had three RBI's. Tison also walked twice. Schaefferman also had a pair of hits for the Patriots.
Towson and George Mason close out the season on Sunday afternoon at 1:00 at Schuerholz Park. Prior to the game, the Tigers will honor their seven seniors on the occasion of their final college baseball game.
Pitchers Austin Hurd, Nate Curd, John Schmeer and Wes Shifflett will be honored, along with first baseman Steve Yarsinsky, infielder Eric Weller and Collins.
