Game One Box score (PDF)
Game Two Box score (PDF)

FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason baseball team swept a doubleheader from Monmouth with two walk-off wins, 6-5 in 10 innings and 2-1, on Friday afternoon at Spuhler Field.

The Patriots (7-6) have won five straight games on their homestand with each of the last three victories a walk-off win.

In game one, senior center fielder Jordan Smith drove in the winning run with a triple in the 10th inning.  In the nightcap, junior catcher Connor Dykstra plated the winning run with a two-out single to left-center.

Dykstra went 5-for-7 with three RBI over the two games.  Smith was 3-for-7 with one RBI and two runs scored.  Graduate student infielder South Trimble went 3-for-9 with two runs scored on the day. 

Sophomore right fielder James Quinn-Irons hit an inside-the-park home run in game one, his team-leading fourth homer of the season.

Junior reliever Britt Yount (1-0) tossed 2.0 innings of one-hit ball to pick up the win in game one, while sophomore reliever Owen Stewart (1-0) scattered four hits over 4.0 scoreless frames to earn the win in game two.

GAME ONE

Monmouth took the lead in the top of the first with an unearned run against Mason senior starter Nick Martins.  With two outs, graduate student shortstop Austin Denlinger singled to third base, went to second on an error and scored on a double by senior first baseman James Harmstead to put the Hawks in front, 1-0.

The Patriots responded in the home half of the first against Monmouth graduate student starter Drew Helmstetter.

Trimble led off with an infield single and Smith followed with a double to left field to put a pair of runners in scoring position.  Graduate student left fielder Ben Jones and Quinn-Irons each plated a run with a ground out to make it 2-1 Patriots.

With one out in the bottom of the second, Dykstra doubled to left field and freshman second baseman Toby Hueber delivered with a RBI-single to right to increase the lead to 3-1.

In the top of the third, back-to-back infield singles and a sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third for the Hawks.  Denlinger drove in a run with a ground out to make it a one-run game at 3-2.  Patriots' sophomore third baseman Evan Blanchard ended the inning with a strong throw across the diamond for the final out.

Martins cruised along from the third through the sixth, retiring 11 straight Hawks batters.

After three scoreless innings, the Patriots added to their advantage with single runs in the seventh and eighth.

With one out in the seventh, Blanchard drew a walk and Dykstra chopped a single through the left side.  Monmouth made the call to the bullpen for sophomore Colin Ruddy, who gave up a single to Hueber to load the bases.  Junior shortstop Carsen Pracht then lifted a sacrifice fly to center, with Blanchard coasting home to make the score 4-2.

With two outs in the eighth, Quinn-Irons sent a high drive to straightaway center field, where Hawks senior center fielder Harry Padden collided with the wall.  Quinn-Irons never stopped and rumbled all the way around for the inside-the-park home run to pad the lead to 5-2. 

Monmouth tied the game in the top of the ninth when Harmstead hit a three-run home run over the left field fence to make it 5-5.

With one out in the bottom of the 10th against Hawks junior reliever Derek Benzinger, Trimble doubled to right field and Smith followed with a triple off the wall in center to lift the Patriots to the 6-5 victory.

For the Patriots, Martins allowed two runs, one earned, on seven hits in 7.2 innings in a no-decision.  Graduate student Luke Goodyear fanned the lone batter he faced in the eighth.  Sophomore Logan Rumberg gave up three runs on two hits in the ninth.  Yount (1-0) tossed 2.0 innings and allowed one hit to earn the win.

For the Hawks, Helmstetter allowed four runs on five hits in 6.1 innings.  Ruddy gave up one run on three hits in 1.2 innings.  Benzinger (0-1) surrendered one run on two hits in 1.1 innings and took the loss.

Smith finished 3-for-5 with his team-leading third triple, one RBI and one run scored.  Trimble finished 2-for-5 with two runs scored.  Dykstra was 2-for-4 and scored a run.  Hueber went 2-for-4 and drove in a run.

GAME TWO

Mason junior Chad Gartland made his fourth start of the season and pitched two scoreless innings before turning the game over to the bullpen.

In the top of the third, Monmouth took the lead against Mason senior Kyle Menaker.  Hawks' junior right fielder Dylan Perry led off with a walk, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a single for the first run of the game.

The Patriots tied the game in the bottom of the fourth against Hawks junior starter Kevin Opanel.

Smith led off with a walk and with two outs, Dykstra singled through the left side with Smith racing home to even the score, 1-1.

Menaker retired 11 of 13 batters from the third through the sixth before turning the game over to Stewart, who pitched four scoreless innings.

With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Quinn-Irons was issued a walk by Monmouth sophomore reliever Caden Carlin.  After Quinn-Irons stole second, Dykstra lifted the Patriots to the 2-1 walk-off win with a single to right-center.

For the Patriots, Gartland pitched 2.0 hitless innings.  Menaker allowed one run on three hits in 4.0 innings.  Stewart (1-0) scattered four hits over 3.0 inning to earn the win.

For the Hawks, Opanel gave up one run on six hits in 7.0 innings in a no-decision.  Carlin (1-1) allowed one run on one hit in 1.2 innings and took the loss.

Dykstra went 3-for-3 and drove in both runs for the Patriots.  Junior first baseman Reece Woody was 2-for-3 in the game.

The Patriots and Hawks wrap up the series on Sunday afternoon with the first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. at Spuhler Field.