PANTHERSVILLE, Ga. - A walkoff home run by Georgia State's
Caden Bailey completed a come from behind win for the Panthers as they topped
the George Mason baseball team, 8-7, on Sunday afternoon at the GSU Baseball
Complex.
GSU responded from a 6-0 deficit to win the game, improving
to 11-6 overall and 2-1 in the conference. Mason evened it overall record at
7-7 while dropping to 1-2 in the CAA.
It was all Mason in the early going, as Josh Leemhuis and
Derek Evans led off the second with back-to-back singles, advancing to scoring
position on a sac bunt by Mick Foley. Leemhuis came home on a sacrifice fly by
Brandon Gum before the top of the Mason order strung together three consecutive
singles to bring in two more runs and put the Patriots up, 3-0.
Another run came home for the Patriots in the third, as
Blaise Fernandez led off with a single and two batters later scored as Foley
singled and GSU shortstop Chad Prain made an errant throw to first, giving
Fernandez the opportunity to run home and add to the Mason lead, 4-0.
Adding one more in the fourth, Gum led off the inning with a
walk and advanced all the way to third before scoring on yet another throwing
error by Prain, giving the Patriots a 5-0 lead. But the Patriots weren't done,
as Fernandez singled to center field to bring in another run with two outs and
leave the scoreboard at 6-0.
Mason starter Jake Kalish also had a strong showing in the
opening innings, scattering three hits and striking out five over the
first three innings.
GSU started its rally in the fourth, loading the bases with
two outs, and four runs came home on consecutive singles by Caden Bailey, Greg
Bowder and Chad Prain to cut the Mason lead to two, 6-4. The Panthers continued
to chip away at the Mason lead in the fifth, as Nic Wilson hit a two out RBI
single to make it a one run game, 6-5.
Tying the game in the sixth, Greg Bowder led off with a
single and advanced all the way to third on an error by Mason centfielder Nick
Allen. He then scored on an RBI groundout by Chad Prain to leave it at 6-all.
An interesting end to the eighth inning put the Patriots
ahead, 7-6. With one out Satherlie singled up the middle and after Tobin foul
tipped for the second out of the inning Fernandez hit a hard shot to GSU third
baseman Caden Bailey, who's throw to first sailed high and allowed Satherlie to
score and give Mason back the lead.
The lead was short lived, as GSU received a two out, bases
loaded hit by pitch RBI to tie the game at 7-7 in the home half of the eighth,
setting up the walkoff dramatics in the ninth.
Eight of the nine
Mason starting hitters recorded a hit, with Fernandez finishing 3-for-5 with an
RBI and Satherlie posting a 2-for-5, one RBI performance. Kalish went 5.0
innings, allowing five runs on nine hits with a walk and nine strikeouts. Hunt took
the loss, evening his record at 1-1.
Caden paced the GSU offense, going 2-for-5 with three RBI's.
Starter Aidan McLaughin went 3.2 innings, allowing six runs (three earned) on
nine hits with three walks and a strikeout. Connor Stanley picked up his first
win of the season after throwing one inning of relief.
The Patriots return to the diamond for a home-and-home
midweek matchup with Richmond.
