FAIRFAX, Va. – The Towson University baseball team faced George Mason on Wednesday afternoon at Spuhler Field.
 
Towson (15-15) went up 3-0 through their first three offensive frames before George Mason (15-15) cut the deficit to one in the fifth inning. The Tigers added two insurance runs in the eighth which proved to be necessary, as the Patriots challenged with a run in each of the eighth and ninth innings. Jacob Whiteman retired the final for his fourth save of the year on the way to a 5-4 Towson victory.
Key Stats:­­

• Towson pitcher Jake Michel (1-0) earned the win after tossing two scoreless frames. Michel walked one and struck out one.
• George Mason pitcher Tanner Kaler (0-1) took the loss, allowing two earned runs on one hit and one walk in 2.0 innings pitched. Kaler struck out five batters.

 
How it Happened:

• Nich Francuzenko hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning to start the scoring for the second-straight day.
• Brian Heckelman hit a two-out single in the third and scored two batters later on Francuzenko's RBI single to right field.
• George Mason's Bagnerise hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth inning to get the Patriots within a run.
• Yariel Rodriguez singled to right field with two runners in scoring position, extending the Tiger lead to 5-2 in the eighth.
• Alberti answered in the home half with an RBI single to left center, getting the Patriots back within two runs.
• The Patriots added one more run in the ninth before Jacob Whiteman retired the final out to record his fourth save of the season.

 
Inside the Numbers:

• In his last four games including today, Francuzenko is batting .375 (6-for-16) with a double, three home runs, 12 RBIs and six runs scored.
• Y. Rodriguez finished the day 2-for-3 with two RBIs. It marks his second consecutive game with multiple runs batted in and the fourth time he's done so this season.

 
On Deck:
The Tigers continue CAA play with a three-game series against Monmouth in West Long Branch, N.J., starting Friday at 3 p.m.