Box score (PDF)
 
FAIRFAX, Va. – The Patriots rallied for three runs in the seventh inning to defeat Saint Louis, 7-5, in the first game of their Atlantic 10 Conference series on Friday afternoon at Spuhler Field.
 
Mason (11-21, 3-4 A-10) took the lead over Saint Louis (17-14, 4-3 A-10) with a run in the bottom of the first inning against Billikens senior starter Colton Hutt.
 
Junior second baseman Brett Stallings started the inning with a single through the left side, freshman shortstop Carsen Pracht reached on an error and sophomore center fielder Jordan Smith singled to center to load the bases with no outs.
 
With one out, junior first baseman South Trimble grounded into a fielder's choice, with Stallings crossing the plate to put the Patriots in front, 1-0.
 
Stallings has a hit in 15 straight games and has scored at least one run in five of his last seven contests.  He has reached base as the leadoff hitter in the first inning and scored in three of the last four games.
 
Mason freshman starter Chad Gartland retired six of the first seven batters he faced over the first two innings.  In the third, he was able to escape a bases-loaded jam when he struck out Billikens sophomore left fielder Tyler Fogarty to end the inning.
 
The Patriots sent eight batters to the plate in the home half of the fourth and added to the lead against Saint Louis senior reliever Trevor Harris.
 
Trimble led off with a single and freshman catcher Connor Dykstra, who returned to the lineup, drew a walk to put runners on first and second.  Graduate student left fielder Kamron Smith followed with the first of three straight RBI-singles for the Patriots to make it a 2-0 game.
 
Senior designated hitter Scott Morgan kept the line moving when he singled through the right side, with Dykstra crossing the plate for a 3-0 lead.
 
Graduate student third baseman Danny Hosley then legged out an infield single, with Kamron Smith scoring on the play to pad the advantage to 4-0.
 
In the top of the sixth, Fogarty was hit by a pitch to start the inning.  Senior second baseman Mark Vierling then singled to left, with the ball getting past Kamron Smith, and Fogarty raced around from first to put the Billikens on the board, 4-1.
 
With one out, senior shortstop Matt Happ reached base when Jordan Smith and Kamron Smith collided in left-center, with Vierling scoring on the play to cut the Mason lead to 4-2.  With two outs, sophomore right fielder Cole Smith singled in a run to make it a one-run game at 4-3.
 
Saint Louis loaded the bases in the top of the seventh against Patriots' senior Mason Posey with two singles and a walk.  With two outs, Happ knocked in two runs with a single to give the Billikens their first and only lead of the game, 5-4.
 
The Patriots responded in the bottom of the inning.
 
With one out, Pracht bunted his way on and scrambled to second on a throwing error.  Jordan Smith followed with a single to center and quickly stole second to put a pair of runners in scoring position.
 
Freshman right fielder Brett Ahalt delivered with a two-run double to left field to put the Patriots in front for good, 6-5.  Ahalt has a hit in six of his last seven games.
 
After Saint Louis summoned freshman reliever Jack Weber from the bullpen, Dykstra drove a two-out single back up the middle to add the insurance run to make the score 7-5.
 
The Patriots have hosted Saint Louis for a series four times since joining the Atlantic 10 in 2014, and the Patriots have won the first game of the series three times.
 
For the Patriots, Gartland allowed three unearned runs on five hits in 6.0 innings in a no-decision.  Posey (1-2) gave up two runs, one earned, on four hits in 3.0 innings to earn his first win of the season.
 
For the Billikens, Hutt allowed one run on three hits in 2.0 innings.  Harris (3-5) surrendered six runs, five earned, on seven hits in 4.1 innings and took the loss. 
 
Jordan Smith went 2-for-4 and scored a run, Kamron Smith was 2-for-4 with a RBI and a run scored and Ahalt finished 1-for-3 with two RBI.
 
Every player in the lineup had at least one hit in the game for the Patriots.
 
The Patriots and Billikens play the middle game of the series on Saturday afternoon with the first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m. at Spuhler Field.