The Canisius College bats went quiet in the rubber match against George Mason on Sunday, as the squad was bested by the Patriots, 8-3, in Fairfax, Va. The Griffs managed seven hits and three runs, but it wasn't enough to fend off George Mason. With the loss Canisius fell to 18-22, while George Mason improved to 16-20-1.

Freshman hurler, J.P. Stevenson got off to a good start but ran into trouble in the fifth inning, as he pitched 4.1 frames and allowed five hits and five runs, four of which were earned, to drop to 4-3. Aaron Casper came on in relief and finished out the inning as he allowed three hits and two earned runs. Zachary Sloan and Mike Elwood finished out the game as the two combined for three innings of work, three hits and one unearned run, to go along with two strikeouts. 

Tyler Zombro came away with the victory as he improved to 5-1 this year. Zombro worked 6.0 innings and yielded four hits and three unearned runs in the win. Joe Williams, Evan Porcella and Tyler Tobin all worked an inning each and held the Griffs off the score sheet.

Only one player recorded more than one hit for Canisius, as Ryan Stekl notched a pair of hits to lead the squad. All of the Griffs runs however came unearned and the team was held without an RBI.

Three players on the Patriots recorded two RBI each, as Brandon Gum, Jake Kalish, and Brady Acker led the George Mason offense. Four players had a pair of hits each as Luke Willis, Gum, Kalish and Trevor Kelly notched two hits.

George Mason got on the board first in the bottom of the fourth thanks to a Kent Blackstone RBI single. However the greatest damage came in the home half of the fifth.

Stevenson worked into trouble following a leadoff fly out, as a single, fielders choice error, and a walk, loaded the bases. A walk by Stevenson gave the Patriots the first run of the inning before head coach Mike McRae called for Casper. A single through the left side by Gum drove in a run, followed by a two RBI double thanks to Kalish. All told the Patriots notched six runs on four hits and one error to stake claim to a 7-0 lead.

The Griffs got on the board in the top of the sixth, as Cyrus Senior, Brett Siddall, and Anthony Massicci all scored thanks to a pair of errors by George Mason.

The Patriots added an insurance run quickly in the bottom of the sixth as George Mason closed out the 8-3 victory and take the series, 2-1.

The Griffs get ready for a busy week as the squad battles Buffalo in another mid-week match up on Tuesday, followed by Akron on Wednesday. Both of those games are road contests. During the weekend Canisius will resume MAAC play as the squad heads to Monmouth on Saturday and Sunday. 

GAME NOTES:
The Griffs trail the all-time series 6-1, however notched their only win against George Mason yesterday with a 8-2 win … The Griffs tallied another game where it committed two errors in a contest. The team is now 5-11 in games it commits two or more errors … Ryan Stekl has now recorded hits in nine of his last 12 contests … The longest hitting streak on the team belongs to Jake Lumley who extended his hitting streak to eight thanks to a single in the third inning.