Box score (PDF)
 
FAIRFAX, Va. – The Patriots overcame a five-run deficit to down George Washington, 8-7, in the middle game of the series on Saturday afternoon at Spuhler Field.
 
The Patriots have won three of four Atlantic 10 series played at home this season, including each of the last three.  Mason took two-of-three from Saint Louis (April 15-17), Fordham (April 22-24) and has won the first two games against the Colonials.
 
Mason (20-29, 11-9 A10) fell behind George Washington (20-28, 8-12 A10) in the top of the first when the Colonials sent 11 batters to the plate and scored five runs on four hits and three walks.
 
George Washington chased Mason graduate student starter Ben Shields after taking a 5-0 lead.  Senior reliever Matthew Henson recorded the final two outs in the inning.
 
The Patriots quickly responded in the bottom of the first against Colonials junior starter Connor Harris.
 
Junior first baseman South Trimble led off with a double to left, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a balk to put the Patriots on the board.
 
Graduate student second baseman Brett Stallings followed with a double down the left filed line.  With one out, freshman right fielder Brett Ahalt knocked in Stallings with a single up the middle to cut the lead to 5-2.
 
Graduate student left fielder Kamron Smith reached on an error and freshman catcher Connor Dykstra walked to load the bases for senior designated hitter Daniel Brooks, who plated a run with a single to right to make it a 5-3 game.
 
Mason batted around and took the lead in the bottom of the third inning against George Washington graduate student reliever Justin Solt.
 
Smith led off with a double, Dykstra drew a walk and freshman center fielder Alex Knapp sent a one-out single through the left side to load the bases.  Freshman shortstop Carsen Pracht forced in a run with a walk and Trimble ripped a two-run single to center to give the Patriots the lead, 6-5.
 
Pracht and Trimble each had a stolen base in the third inning.  The Patriots have 100 stolen bases on the season and have reached the century mark for just the second time in program history.  Mason swiped 118 bases during the 2002 season.
 
The Patriots summoned senior Jared Lyons from the bullpen for the fourth inning and he went the rest of the way.
 
Colonials senior center fielder Cade Fergus led off with an infield single, stole second and went to third when the throw went into center field.  With one out, senior first baseman Derek Ripp tripled off the top of the right field wall, just missing a home run, with Fergus scoring the tying run to make it 6-6.
 
Again, Mason had an answer, loading the bases for the third time in the game in the bottom of the inning against George Washington senior reliever Rich Pfluger.
 
Smith and Dykstra each singled and Knapp walked with one out to put a Patriot on every base.  After the Colonials made the call to the bullpen for graduate student Trevor Kuncl, Pracht walked on four pitches to force in a run and Trimble drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to put the Patriots back on top, 8-6.
 
In the top of the eighth, Colonials graduate student designated hitter Michael Ludowig led off with a single, and pinch-runner Matthew McCowan stole second.  With one out, freshman third baseman Ty Acker singled to left, with McCowan racing home to make it a one-run game at 8-7.
 
Fergus then doubled to the wall in right field and the Patriots defense came through to preserve the lead.  Ahalt got the ball in quickly to Pracht, who sent the relay to Dykstra, and the Patriots catcher was able to apply the tag on Acker, who was called out at the plate on the play after a head-first slide.
 
For the Patriots, Shields allowed five runs on four hits and retired one batter in the first inning. Henson tossed 2.2 innings of one-hit ball, while Lyons (6-5) gave up two runs on seven hits with four strikeouts in 6.0 innings to earn the win.
 
For the Colonials, Harris allowed three runs on four hits and retired one batter in the first inning.  Solt surrendered three runs on three hits in 2.1 innings.  Pfluger (2-3) gave up two runs on two hits, retired two batters and took the loss.  Kuncl tossed 4.2 scoreless innings.
 
Smith went 3-for-5 with two doubles and two runs scored, Trimble was 2-for-4 with three RBI and one run scored, Dykstra scored twice and Pracht drove in a pair of runs.
 
The Patriots will look for the series sweep on Sunday, with the first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. at Spuhler Field.