April 3, 2012

Final Stats | Season Stats (PDF)

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Maryland outhit George Mason 14 to 7, but the Terrapins committed three errors that contributed to five unearned runs and led the Patriots to a 7-6 come-from-behind win Tuesday evening.

The Terps (18-12) led 6-4 heading into the eighth, and relief pitcher Charlie Haslup struck out the first two batters in the inning. But Mason's (19-11) next two batters, despite falling behind 0-2 in the count, drew walks to put runners on first and second.

That brought up Patriots pinch-hitter Andrew Sable. Sable drove a shot to the gap in right-center field that a sprinting Jordan Hagel couldn't come up with, allowing both runs to score and Sable to reach third. Josh Leemhuis followed with a single to right field, driving in Sable and giving George Mason a 7-6 lead.

Maryland had at least one hit in eight of nine innings, led by Hagel's 4-for-4 performance, but left 13 runners on base in the game. Michael Montville went 3-for-5 with a home run, and Alfredo Rodriguez and Korey Wacker had two hits apiece.

Haslup (2-2) struck out four and allowed three runs - all of them unearned - on two hits and took the loss. George Mason reliever Branden Bartlett (2-0) pitched a scoreless seventh to earn the win.

The game went back-and-forth in the middle innings, with the teams exchanging runs each half inning between the bottom of the third and the end of the sixth.

After Mason scored a single run in the fifth, two swings of the bat gave Maryland a 5-4 lead in the bottom half. With one out, Tim Kiene drilled a 1-0 pitch over the right-field wall, and Michael Montville made it back-to-back home runs by blasting a 2-2 pitch to left-center field. It marked the second time the duo has gone back-to-back this season - they also did it against Purdue on Feb. 25.

In the sixth, Maryland again retook the lead after Mason had tied it. K.J. Hockaday grounded into a double play with the bases loaded to score one and Tomo Delp roped a two-out double down the left-field line to drive in another, making it 6-4.

But after a scoreless seventh, the Patriots put together their two-out rally, and Maryland was unable to get a run across after loading the bases with one out in the ninth.

Earlier, Hockaday drove in the game's first run in the third by following Jordan Hagel's leadoff double with a single up the middle.

Mason answered the next half inning though, scoring a pair of unearned runs after a failed pickoff attempt.

Maryland tied it at 2-2 in the fourth on Hagel's bases-loaded RBI single, but George Mason prevented the Terps from taking the lead when left fielder Duncan Satherlie threw out Wacker at home.

Maryland starter Brady Kirkpatrick, who surrendered two unearned runs on three hits in four innings, didn't factor into the decision.

Mason used six pitchers, with Chris O'Grady pitching the ninth to earn his seventh save of the season.

The Terps are back in action Wednesday, when Bucknell visits Bob "Turtle" Smith Stadium. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.

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