Fairfax, Va.- Senior Jonathan Kolowich drove in two runs as the Georgia State baseball team took a 3-0 lead into the bottom of the seventh inning Friday but George Mason put up a five-spot in the frame and held on for a 6-3 victory in the teams' Colonial Athletic Association series opener at Spuhler Field.
Panther senior Justin Malone pitched six strong innings, striking out seven, and left with GSU ahead 3-0 in the seventh before the deciding damage was done. Five hits by the Patriots in the seventh and an error that led to an unearned run allowed Mason to climb in front.
The Patriots (17-10, 5-5 CAA) added one more run in the eighth inning and GSU (12-15, 4-3) could not rally back in defeat.
Drew Shields and Greg Bowder posted two hits apiece as the Panthers connected for runs in the first inning, third and fourth innings off Mason starter Anthony Montefusco (3-1). The Patriots sophomore would settle down however with seven total innings to earn the win as the Mason staff did not allow a Panther past second base over the final five innings.
Panther senior Jake Dyer (2-2) suffered the loss in relief of Malone as Friday marked the Panthers' first trip to Spuhler Field since 2008.
Kody Adams led off the game with a double and scored three batters later when Kolowich doubled him home with two outs as GSU scored for the sixth straight game in the first inning, taking a 1-0 lead.
The Panthers doubled the cushion when Kolowich lifted a sacrifice fly into right field with the bases loaded in the third inning, then Bowder's second single of the game scored Joey Wood in the fourth as GSU made it 3-0.
Malone, who picked up a career-high 11 strikeouts in his previous outing last season against the Patriots, ended Mason threats in the third and sixth innings to preserve the lead.
He gave way to Dyer in a 3-0 game with two Patriots aboard and nobody out in the seventh. Dyer walked the bases loaded, then three Patriots singles and a defensive error allowed Mason to leap in front with five runs for a 5-3 lead.
The Patriots added a run in the eighth on Zack Helgeson's third RBI of the day to make it 6-3 against Panther reliever Jason Boulais.
The Panthers then went down in order in the ninth as Jake Kalish completed his fourth save of the season.
Shields' two hits in the game extended his streak of multi-hit games to eight straight. Kolowich's sac fly moved him into second in school history with 13 for his career.
The two teams return to action Saturday at 2 p.m. at Spuhler Field.
