Box score (PDF)
 
FAIRFAX, Va. – The Patriots won their home opener over Coppin State, 21-2, on Tuesday afternoon at Spuhler Field.
 
Freshman second baseman Toby Hueber made his first NCAA start at second base and finished 2-for-3 with two walks, four RBI and three runs scored.  He recorded his first collegiate hits, RBI and runs scored.
 
Graduate student left fielder Ben Jones collected his first two hits (2-for-4) and his first RBI and run scored in a Mason uniform.
 
Graduate student first baseman South Trimble went 3-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored. 
 
Mason (1-3) took the lead over Coppin State (0-3) with four runs in the bottom of the second inning off Eagles freshman starter Kaden Straily.
 
With one out, freshman designated hitter Owen Hull laced a single to left field for his first NCAA hit.  Junior shortstop Carsen Pracht followed with a bunt single to put runners on the corners. 
 
Hueber drove in the first run of the game with a single through the right side and Trimble singled up the middle to put the Patriots in front, 2-0.
 
In the bottom of the third, the Patriots sent 16 batters to the plate and scored 12 runs on five hits, three walks and four hit batters to take a commanding 16-0 lead.  The Eagles committed three errors and threw five wild pitches in the inning.
 
Mason added a run in the bottom of the fourth when senior center fielder Jordan Smith tripled to the wall in center field and scored on a wild pitch to make the score 17-0.
 
In the bottom of the sixth, freshman catcher J.P. Williams, who took over behind the plate, led off with a single to left field in his NCAA debut.  With one out, sophomore right fielder James Quinn-Irons walked to put runners on first and second.
 
Hull delivered with a RBI-single back up the middle, with Williams racing around to score his first collegiate run.  Quinn-Irons, who moved to third on the single, scrambled home on a wild pitch to pad the lead to 19-0.
 
Coppin State got on the board in the top of the seventh.  Senior catcher Sam Nieves went all the way to second on a throwing error, moved to third on a passed ball and scored on a balk.
 
In the top of the eighth, Eagles sophomore first baseman Damon Gaither led off with a solo home run to left.
 
The Patriots added the final two runs of the day in the home half of the eighth.  Freshman infielder Jake Butler knocked in a run with a single and Hueber drove in another with a sacrifice fly for the 21-2 final score.
 
Junior Chad Gartland (1-1) made his second start of the season.  He allowed one hit and struck out three in 2.0 innings to earn the win.  Senior Ryan Peterson and sophomore Logan Rumberg each tossed 2.0 scoreless frames.  Freshman Shaun O'Keeffe struck out two of the four batters he faced in the ninth.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED 

• The Patriots opened the scoring in the second when Hueber and Trimble each drove in a run with a RBI-single to make it 2-0.
• In the bottom of the third, the Patriots sent 16 batters to the plate and scored 12 runs on five hits, three walks and four hit batters to extend the lead to 16-0. 
• In the fourth, Smith tripled to straightaway center and later scored on a wild pitch to make the score 17-0.
• In the home half of the sixth, Hull ripped a RBI-single up the middle and Quinn-Irons crossed the plate on a wild pitch to pad the advantage to 19-0.
• The Eagles dented the scoreboard in the seventh when Nieves reached on an error and scored on a balk later in the inning.
• Gaither led off top of the eight with a solo home run for Coppin State.
• In the bottom of the eighth, Butler knocked in a run with a single and Hueber drove in another with a sacrifice fly for the final two runs of the game. 

NOTES 

• Hueber made his first NCAA start at second base and finished 2-for-3 with two walks, four RBI and three runs scored.  He recorded his first collegiate hits, RBI and runs scored.
• Trimble went 3-for-4 with a walk, three RBI and two runs scored.
• Smith finished 2-for-2 with a walk, hit by pitch, two RBI and two runs scored.
• Jones went 2-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored.
• Quinn-Irons reached base five times with a single, two walks and two hit by pitch and scored four runs. 

UP NEXT
 
The Patriots are back on the diamond for a four-game weekend series against Purdue beginning Friday with the first pitch scheduled for 3 p.m. in Holly Springs, N.C.