Jaffe Walks Off George Mason in A-10 Opener

Friday, March 29

Richmond, Va.

2:00 PM

University of Richmond

10-15, 1-0

George Mason

12-13, 0-1

George Mason

Richmond

Jordan Jaffe stands in the batters box waiting for the pitcher to throw.

03/29/2024 | Baseball

Box Score

RICHMOND, Va. – Jordan Jaffe drew a bases loaded walk in the bottom of the ninth to capture the 6-5 victory for Richmond Friday in the squad's Atlantic 10 Conference opener against George Mason at Pitt Field.

Richmond, now 10-15 on the season and 1-0 in league play, return for game two of the series Saturday at 1 p.m. at Pitt Field.

In the bottom of the ninth, down 5-3, Jason Shockley and Jake Topolski both reached via hit by pitch before Aidan O'Keefe dropped a bunt single to load the bases. Aaron Whitley got hit and forced in the first run of the inning, 5-4. Topolski tied the game when he scored on a wild pitch with Phil Bernstein at the plate, who was then intentionally walked to keep the bases loaded with just one out. Jaffe then drew a full count walk to win the game.

UR starter Kyle Roche worked two scoreless innings, collecting a strikeout in the first and working around a base hit and a hit batter in the second before Mason broke through with a single run in the third.

Mason added two runs in the top of the fifth, capitalizing off three hits and a sacrifice bunt, to take a 3-0 lead.

Topolski got the rally going in the bottom of the fifth with a base hit to left center. Aidan O'Keefe followed with an RBI triple down the right field line to put the Spiders on the board. Connor Larson then picked up an RBI base hit to make it 3-2.

Roche tossed six complete frames, allowing three runs on seven hits, struck out four and hit two. Jackson Hinchliffe made his Pitt Field debut, tossing two and two-thirds of an inning, allowing one unearned run on two hits and a walk.

Jaffe also hit a game-tying solo home run in the eighth for his third home run of the season.

Cole Hentschel picked up his third win of the season after getting the final out of the top of the ninth. He allowed one run on one hit, a walk and a hit batter to get out of a bases loaded jam.