Box score (PDF)
 
FAIRFAX, Va. – Mason freshman catcher Connor Dykstra drove in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth with a single, lifting the Patriots to an 8-7 walk-off victory over Fordham on Saturday afternoon at Spuhler Field.
 
With runners on first and second, Dykstra laced a single to center to drive in his 22nd run of the season to even the series against the Rams.
 
Mason (13-24, 5-6 A-10) took the lead over Fordham (9-26, 4-7 A-10) in the first inning against Rams sophomore starter Cameron Knox.
 
Junior second baseman Brett Stallings led off with a single, freshman shortstop Carsen Pracht walked on four pitches and junior first baseman South Trimble singled to load the bases.
 
Freshman right fielder Brett Ahalt drove in the first run of the game, with Stallings cruising in from third on the sacrifice fly to put the Patriots in front, 1-0.
 
The Patriots have scored the first run in five of their last seven games.
 
Fordham went in front in the top of the third against Mason graduate student starter Ben Shields. 
 
With one out, sophomore center fielder Ryan Thiesse singled and graduate student left fielder David Kale singled to put runners on the corners.  After Kale stole second, freshman designated hitter Cian Sahler plated a run with a ground out to tie the game.  Kale then raced home on a wild pitch to give the Rams a 2-1 edge.
 
In the top of the fourth, Rams junior first baseman Will Findlay led off with a solo home run over the left-center field fence to increase the lead to 3-1.
 
The Patriots got the runs back in the home half of the fourth.  Graduate student left fielder Kamron Smith singled to left and Dykstra followed with a walk.  Freshman center fielder Alex Knapp moved the runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt.
 
Junior designated hitter Craig Miles, Jr., making his first start of the season, drove in his first run of the campaign with a sacrifice fly.  Stallings then drove in the tying run with a single to center to even the score, 3-3.
 
Stallings has at least one hit in 19 of his last 20 games.
 
The Rams loaded the bases in the top of the fifth on a pair of walks and a fielding error to set the table for senior catcher Andy Semo, who knocked in a run with a sacrifice fly to make it 4-3.
 
Again, the Patriots had an answer in the home half of the inning. 
 
Trimble delivered a one-out double and with two outs, graduate student third baseman Danny Hosley and Smith each drew a walk to load the bases.  Dykstra forced in a run with a walk and Knapp followed with a two-run single to put the Patriots in front 6-4.
 
Fordham made it a one-run game with a run in the top of the sixth against Mason sophomore reliever Christian Mracna.  Rams freshman right fielder Sebastian Mexico led off with a single, stole second and scored on a RBI-single by senior second baseman Jack Harnisch.
 
With one out in the bottom of the seventh against Rams freshman reliever Connor Haywood, Hosley was hit by a pitch and with two outs, Dykstra beat out an infield single and Knapp was hit by a pitch to load the bases.  Miles walked on four pitches to force in Hosley from third to extend the Mason lead to 7-5.
 
In the top of the eighth, Thiesse drove in a run with a single and Kale plated another with a double to left against Mason senior reliever Matthew Henson to tie the score, 7-7.
 
In the bottom of the ninth, Hosley was hit by a pitch by Rams junior reliever Jack Popolizio to start the inning.  After Fordham summoned junior James Springer from the bullpen, he hit Smith with a pitch to put runners on first and second.
 
Dykstra then laced a single into center, with Hosley racing around to score the game-winning run.
 
For the Patriots, Shields allowed four runs, three earned, on three hits in 5.0 innings.  Mracna gave up two runs on four hits in 2.0 innings.  Henson was charged with one run on two hits in one inning, while senior Mason Posey (2-2) pitched the ninth inning to earn the win.
 
For the Rams, Knox allowed six runs on seven hits in 5.0 innings.  Haywood surrendered a run on two hits in 2.0 innings.  Popolizio (0-3) pitched an inning and took the loss, while Springer didn't retire a batter in the ninth.
 
Trimble went 4-for-5 and scored a run, Dykstra was 2-for-3 with two walks, two RBI and a run scored, while Knapp and Miles each drove in a pair of runs in the game.
 
The Patriots and Rams play the final game of the series on Sunday afternoon, with the first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. at Spuhler Field.