The George Mason baseball team rebounded from Friday's loss to Niagara by taking the opening game of its Saturday doubleheader, 11-6. The Patriots scored three in the third, four in the fourth and four in the sixth to easily win the first of two nine-inning contests.

Chris Cook was 2 for 4 with three RBI and Blaise Fernandez was 2 for 3 with two RBI as they each hit their first home run of the season. Ryan Pfaeffle went five-plus innings to pick up the win while Jake Kalish went three-plus innings to pick up the save.

Niagara went ahead 1-0 in the third when Joel Klock singled, took second on an Adam Wagner single, went to third when Pfaeffle's pick-off attempt went into center, then scored on an Eric Hink ground out. The Patriots broke through against Kody Kasper in the third when, after the first eight batters went in order, Fernandez hit a two-out single, Cook hit a double and Brig Tison was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Dan Schafferman followed with a two-run single and Shane Davis had an RBI base hit to make it 3-1.

Four more Mason runs scored in the fourth when Jeremy Haas doubled, Nick Allen singled and the pair scored when Danny Lyons ' sacrifice bunt was misplayed by Brian Deering at third. Fernandez followed with his homer to make it 7-1. The Purple Eagles trimmed the lead in the fifth on a single and two doubles to make it 7-3, but the Patriots put the game away in the sixth.

With one out, Lyons singled, Fernandez walked and Cook homered to make it 10-3 and chase Kasper. Matt Meyer came on in relief and Tison singled, Schafferman was hit by a pitch and Zack Helgeson doubled to make it 11-3. Niagara's final three runs came home in the ninth when Kalish allowed a leadoff single, then with two outs, Hink singled and Wynton Bernard hit a three-run homer. But Kalish struck out Ryan McCauley to end the contest.

The two teams are playing the second game of their doubleheader at approximately 2:45 p.m. on Saturday.