FAIRFAX, Va. - A bases-loaded double by freshman third baseman Blaise Fernandez with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning enabled George Mason University (18-27-1, 5-18) to rally for a 10-9 Colonial Athletic Association victory over the Tigers (19-21-1, 10-10) in the second game of their three-game CAA weekend series at Spuhler Park on Saturday afternoon.
The Tigers, who posted a 12-4 win in the series opener on Friday, took a 9-8 lead into the bottom of the ninth inning on Saturday.
But, senior catcher Dan Lyons led off the ninth inning with a single off junior righthander Tyler Austin, the Tigers' fourth pitcher of the game. Austin induced freshman shortstop Jordan Hill to hit into a force play as he threw out Lyons at second base. When sophomore second baseman Christopher Cook was retired on a fly ball to centerfield, Austin was one out away from the win.
However, senior rightfielder Brig Tison, who extended his hitting streak to 25 games earlier in the contest, lined a double down the leftfield line as Hill made it to third base. With the tying and winning runs in scoring position, junior designated hitter Dan Schafferman was walked intentionally. It was his fourth walk of the game.
Then, Fernandez smashed a game-winning double to left centerfield, giving the Patriots a walk-off win.
Fernandez's game-winning hit ended a wild game in which the score was tied four times and there were three lead changes. Each team squandered a three-run lead in the game which included 25 base hits.
The Tigers took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when sophomore catcher Andrew Parker doubled to left field. He advanced to third base on a sacrifice bunt by senior rightfielder Steve Rice and scored the first run of the game on a sacrifice fly by senior third baseman Chris Wychock.
The Patriots came back and took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the second inning.
Senior leftfielder Shane Davis led off the second with a double to left field. Moments later, junior first baseman Zack Heglesen blasted his 13th home run of the season over the left centerfield fence, giving George Mason a 2-1 advantage.
In the top of the third inning, the Tigers tied the game at 2-2. Freshman designated hitter Brandon Gonnella led off with a single up the middle. After freshman leftfielder Dominic Fratantuono bunted him over to second base, senior shortstop Nick Natoli singled to left field to drive in the tying run. Natoli advanced to second base on an error by Davis, the leftfielder. However, junior righthander A.J. Johnson retired the next two hitters to strand Natoli on third base.
In the bottom of the third inning, George Mason rallied for three runs to take a 5-2 lead. Tison led off the inning with a base hit. But, Parker threw him out trying to steal second base. Schafferman followed with a walk and went to second base on a wild pitch by sophomore righthander Michael Trionfo. Fernandez gave the Patriots a 3-2 lead when he lined an RBI double down the leftfield line. Davis singled to left field and went to second base on an error by Fratantuono as Fernandez scored for a 4-2 advantage. After Helgeson lined out to second base, sophomore centerfielder Nick Allen singled to left, scoring Davis to give the Patriots a 5-2 edge. Trionfo pitched out of the inning by striking out junior catcher Jake Leonardo.
Senior righthander Spencer Patton relieved Trionfo in the fourth inning and retired the side in order.
Trailing by 5-2 in the fifth inning, the Tigers' bats came to life. With one out, Fratantuono drew a walk. After Natoli grounded into a force play for the second out, freshman second baseman Pat Fitzgerald walked. Senior first baseman Austin Harclerode cut the Tigers' deficit to 5-3 when he lined an RBI single to left, scoring Natoli. Moments later, Parker drilled a two-run double down the left field line to tie the game at 5-5. Rice, who hit his first home run of the season in the series opener on Friday, gave the Tigers a 7-5 lead when he blasted a two-run homer over the centerfield fence.
After Rice's homer, Johnson was relieved by sophomore lefthander Chris O'Grady, who retired Wychock to end the inning.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Patton experienced some control problems. He loaded the bases on walks before he struck out Leonardo to end the threat.
The Tigers increased their lead to 8-5 in the sixth inning. With one out, Gonnella drew a walk. After he stole second base, Fratantuono struck out. Natoli came through with a single to right field, driving in Gonnella to give the Tigers an 8-5 advantage. O'Grady pitched out of the inning when he got Fitzgerald to pop up.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Patriots rallied again. With one out, Cook doubled down the left field line. Cook advanced to third base when Tison grounded out. When Patton walked Schafferman, the Patriots had runners on first and third base. Fernandez doubled down the leftfield line to drive in a run and send Schafferman to third base.
Senior righthander Zach Umberger came in from the bullpen to relieve Patton. He ended the inning by striking out Davis.
In the bottom of the seventh, the Patriots scored twice to the game at 8-8. Helgeson started the rally with a single. After Allen struck out, pinch hitter Mick Foley drew a walk. When Hill singled to centerfield, the Patriots had the bases loaded with one out.
At that point, Austin came on to relieve Umberger. Austin hit Cook with a pitch to drive in a run to make it an 8-7 lead. When Tison hit a fly ball to centerfield, his sacrifice fly drove in the tying run. Then, Austin retired Fernandez on a popup to end the inning.
With the score tied at 8-8, the Tigers regained the lead in the eighth inning. Wychock led off the inning with a single to centerfield. Wychock stole second base and went to third base on a throwing error by O'Grady, trying to pick him off base. Wychock scored the go-ahead run when junior centerfielder Ben Winter reached on an infield single. Winter moved to second base when Gonnella bunted him over. But, O'Grady struck out pinch hitter Brian Wyman before issuing an intentional walk to Natoli. He pitched out of the jam by getting Fitzgerald to ground out to shortstop.
Austin protected the lead by retiring the Patriots in order in the eighth inning. O'Grady, who earned his third win of the season, retired the Tigers in order in the ninth to set the stage for the game-winning rally.
O'Grady evened his record at 3-3 by pitching 4.1 innings of relief. He allowed one earned run on three hits and struck out five.
Fernandez led the Patriots' 15-hit attack by going three-for-five with four runs batted in. Cook, Tison, Davis, Helgeson and Hill each added two hits.
Austin suffered his third loss of the season. In 2.1 innings, he gave up two runs on three hits. He walked two and hit another batter.
Parker, Rice and Natoli led the Tigers with two hits each. Parker was two-for-five with two runs scored and two RBI's. Rice went two-for-four and drove in two runs while Natoli added two hits and two RBI's.
The Tigers and the Patriots will play the third and deciding game of their three-game series on Sunday with a 1:00 game at Spuhler Park.
