Senior centerfielder Josh Stewart(Bloomsburg, PA) went 2-for-4 with a triple and double, and freshman David Cole (Teaneck, NJ) hit his first career home run, but it was not enough as George Mason defeated Hofstra, 9-5, in a Colonial Athletic Association game Friday afternoon at Hap Spuhler Field. After winning three straight games and six out of its last seven, Hofstra falls to 14-18 overall and 3-7 in the CAA. George Mason, which put up a six-run sixth inning to secure the win, improves to 19-10 and 6-4 in the CAA.
Hofstra took a 1-0 lead in the third behind a Stewart (pictured) triple and a Ricky Caputo (Miller Place, NY) RBI-single. The Patriots got the run back in the bottom of the frame when Matt York led off with a single and Matt Cooksey, Chris Looze and Casey Slattery followed with walks to make it 1-1. But Hofstra starter David Huth (Akron, OH) escaped the inning behind a fielder's choice, a strikeout and a fly out. Hofstra made it 3-1 in the fourth as Cole hit a two-run homer to score Josh Stern (Millwood, NY), who had walked earlier in the inning.
Mason cut into the lead in the bottom of the fourth when Tyler Youngs singled, York doubled and Cooksey's infield squibber brought Youngs home. But Hofstra once again made it a two-run lead when Stewart doubled in the fifth, went to third on a throwing error by Youngs and scored on a Matt Kougasian (Rochelle Park, NJ) single.
The Patriots took the lead for good in the sixth when Chris Fournier led off the inning with a single and Adam Innerst followed with a hit to center. Youngs reached on a throwing error when Huth threw Cooksey's sacrifice bunt attempt into right field. That error allowed Fournier to score to make it 4-3. Innerst went to third and Youngs to second on the play and York singled to center to drive them both home and give Mason a 5-4 lead. After Cooksey and Looze flew out, Slattery singled and Jacobsen homered to make it 8-4.
Hofstra got a run back in the eighth when Cooksey couldn't hold onto Caputo's flyball to lead off the inning with Caputo going to third on the play. He scored on a ground out by Kougasian. Mason added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth as Jacobsen hit a one-out double and Matt Barrett and Fournier followed with walks to load the bases. After Innerst struck out, Youngs walked to score a run and chase reliever Mike Xydias (Snellville, GA). Jeff Denlea (Oyster Bay, NY) entered the game for the Pride and he induced Matt York to groundout to end the threat.
Eric Gibbons (4-2) went eight innings for Mason, allowing three earned runs on eight hits with one walk and six strikeouts. Huth took the loss, falling to 1-4. He allowed four earned runs on nine hits with five walks and three strikeouts while pitching five and two-third innings.
York scored twice for Mason and had two RBI while Jacobsen and Youngs also each scored twice. Stewart was 2-for-4 with two runs for Hofstra while Kougasian was 1-for-4 with two RBI.
These two teams will meet tomorrow in game two of the CAA series at Spuhler Field.
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