Mason Hits Walk-Off Home Run in Win Over Lehigh

JERSEY CITY, NJ – Junior Hunter Mason hit his first career walk-off home run on Wednesday afternoon to give Saint Peter's baseball an 8-6 win over Lehigh. Behind the win, the Peacocks' win total doubled from a year ago.
 
Game Notes

• Runs came early and often to start the contest between Saint Peter's and Lehigh.
• Both teams would combine to score 12 of the game's 14 runs between innings one through four.
• Lehigh scored the game's first run in the opening frame with a solo homer by Jeff Shanfeldt.
• Mason responded with a homer of his own in the bottom of the first inning, hitting a two-run shot to left field to put the Peacocks ahead 2-1.
• In the second inning, Lehigh retook the lead over Saint Peter's by posting four runs off of just one hit in the inning.
• The Peacocks quickly put a run on the board in the bottom half of the inning when Chris Marquart hit a RBI double to center, scoring John Gavura from first base, cutting the deficit to 5-3.
• Lehigh was held without a run in the third by Saint Peter's defense to keep the score at 5-3.
• In the home half of the inning, the Peacocks erupted for three runs to go up 6-5.
• The three-run rally was sparked with a RBI single by Jared Paladino to bring Mason home.
• Jared Quintero then hit a single through the left side to score Paladino and tie the game at 5-5.
• Following a pitching change, Marquart recorded his second RBI by way of a ground out to the shortstop which allowed Quintero to advance home from third and give the Peacocks the 6-5 advantage.
• The Mountain Hawks added the game-tying run in the fourth inning from a throwing error by the Peacocks to knot things up at 6-6.
• After the fourth inning ended, both squads' pitching and defense stepped up in the contest.
• The combination of Bryan Guzman, Anthony Ramos, and Mason combined to pitch the final five innings, holding Lehigh to one single hit over the stretch.
• The trio earned a combined seven strikeouts and forced Lehigh to leave 10 runners on base over the five innings.
• In the eighth, with a man on third in scoring position, Mason notched two swinging strikeouts to record the final two outs of the inning to keep the Mountain Hawks off the board.  
• In the ninth, the Peacocks got caught in a jam with just one out and bases loaded, but consecutive fly balls to Quintero in left field resulted in the final two outs to send the game to the bottom of the ninth tied at 6-6.
• Andrew Connor hit a leadoff single to third to open the inning.
• After an out by the next Peacock batter, Mason stepped to plate and sent a rocket over the left center field fence to score the two-run walk-off home run and seal the 8-6 upset victory over Lehigh.  

 
Inside the Numbers

• Mason (1-0) earned his first career collegiate win after pitching 2.0 scoreless innings in relief, striking out three of the 11 batters that he faced and only allowing one hit.
• In addition to the pitching win, Mason was the best at the plate as well, going 3-for-5 with two homers, four RBIs, and three runs scored.
• This was the Peacocks first multi-homerun game of the season and Mason's first home runs of the season.
• Connor also had a multi-hit day, hitting 2-for-5 with two runs scored and Marquart drove in two runs.
• Both Paladino and Quintero also recorded an RBI and run scored each.
• The Peacocks outhit Lehigh (11-5) and the pitching staff struck out more batters (11-7).

 
Coach's Quotes – Danny Ramirez

• "Great win for our guys today. We have been playing much better as of late and have had several close games over the last two weeks, so to win today in walk-off fashion is great for all of our guys and the program."
• "Hunter Mason led the way for us today. Mason had a career game going 3-for-5 with a home run in the first inning to give us a lead, a single in the 4th and a big time two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth with one out to win the game. What a game for that young man. He is one of our hardest workers and a team captain. Couldn't have happened to a better person."
• "Andrew Connor continues to swing a hot bat for us and was pivotal for our offense today as well. We'll keep that good energy going for our upcoming MAAC Series vs. Marist this weekend."

 
On Deck

• Saint Peter's will return to MAAC play with a weekend series at Marist.
• The games in Poughkeepsie, NY will be played on Saturday, May 4 at 12 p.m. and 3 p.m., followed by a noon start on Sunday, May 5.