March 27, 2002
Box Score
COLLEGE PARK, Md.- Freshman designated hitter Jason Maxey (Columbia, Md.) clubbed two home runs but it was not enough as Maryland lost to George Mason in 12 innings, 8-6, Wednesday afternoon at Shipley Field. The loss ended Maryland's 12-game home winning streak at Shipley Field.
The entertaining contest started in the second when Maryland scored the game's first two runs on one swing. Maxey drilled his fifth home run of the season to right field to give Maryland a 2-0 lead.
The Patriots answered back with one run in the third and one in the fifth. In the third, shortstop Jeff Palumbo delivered a sacrifice fly and Adam Shorts had a RBI-single in the fifth to tie the contest at two.
The Terps took the lead back in the sixth when sophomore catcher Anthony Buffone (Manalapan, N.J.) scored on a passed ball.
George Mason would take its first lead of the game in the seventh when the Patriots scored two runs. Both Mike Taylor and Nick Shimer each scored on a pair of wild pitches by Maryland reliever Brad Lyons to account for the Patriots' two runs and give GMU a 4-3 advantage.
The Terrapins tied the game again in the bottom half of the seventh. Junior shortstop John McCurdy (Crofton, Md.) laced a two-out, RBI-double off the fence in left center to score senior Matt Swope (New Carrollton, Md.) and tie the contest at four.
Maryland took a 5-4 lead in the eighth inning when Maxey blasted his second homer of the game over the fence in left center. The two-home run game was the second of Maxey's career.
Maryland's lead was short lived, as George Mason scored once in the ninth to force the game into extra innings. Freshman center fielder Matt Cooksey scored on a fielder's choice to tie the contest at five.
Each team scored once in the 11th before the Patriots ended things in the 12th. Freshman designated hitter Adam Innerest had an RBI-groundout and Shorts drilled a RBI-double to right center for the deciding two runs.
Shorts finished the game 3-for-6 with three RBIs for the Patriots while both Maxey (3-for-6) and McCurdy (3-for-5, 2 RBIs) had three hits each for Maryland.
George Mason reliever Todd Simo (1-2) earned the win after pitching the final two innings for his first victory of the season. Maryland reliever Matt Basinger (Connellsville, Pa.) was tabbed with the loss for Maryland and fell to 3-1.
With the win, George Mason improved to 10-15 while the Terrapins fell to 17-6. Maryland is back in action this weekend at No. 1 Clemson. The three-game series begins Friday at 7:15 p.m. in Clemson, S.C.
