Box score (PDF)
 
FAIRFAX, Va. – Junior starter Chad Gartland struck out 11 batters and tossed a complete-game to lead the Patriots to a 3-2 victory over VCU on Saturday afternoon at Spuhler Field.
 
Gartland recorded the third complete game of his career, while his 11 strikeouts are the second-most that he's posted in a game as a Patriot.  Gartland threw 121 pitches in the outing, the third-most he has thrown in a game in his NCAA career. 
 
Senior center fielder Jordan Smith, senior left fielder Derek Wood and junior first baseman Reece Woody each drove in a run.
 
Mason (18-22, 6-8 A10) and VCU (26-16, 8-5 A10) remained scoreless after three innings.
 
With one out in the top of the fourth, Rams senior third baseman Brandon Eike singled and sophomore right fielder Aden Hill was hit by a pitch.  After both players moved into scoring position on a wild pitch, graduate student designated hitter Eli Weisner drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to put VCU in front, 1-0.
 
The Patriots answered in the bottom of the fifth against VCU senior starter Christian Gordon.
 
With one out, freshman third baseman Jake Butler singled to left-center and junior catcher Connor Dykstra singled through the right side to put runners on the corners.  Wood then dropped down a perfect safety squeeze bunt, with Butler racing home to tie the game, 1-1.
 
In the top of the sixth, Eike led off with a double and with one out, Weisner singled to the shortstop to put runners on first and second.  With two outs, senior center fielder Cooper Benzin doubled down the first base line just inside the bag to give the Rams a 2-1 lead.
 
With one out in the home half of the sixth, Mason graduate student designated hitter Ben Jones singled through the right side and sophomore right fielder James Quinn-Irons singled to second.  Smith then delivered with the third straight hit in the inning, a single to right field on an 0-2 count, to knock in Jones from second base with the tying run.
 
Smith then stole second to put runners on second and third.  Woody plated the game-winning run with a sacrifice fly to left field, with Quinn-Irons rumbling across the plate to vault the Patriots to a 3-2 advantage.
 
For the Patriots, Gartland (2-3) allowed two runs on nine hits with 11 strikeouts and no walks to earn his second win of the season.
 
For the Rams, Gordon (5-2) gave up three runs on eight hits in 6.0 innings with five strikeouts and no walks and took the loss.  Junior Cade Dressler pitched 1.1 scoreless innings and junior Everett Vaughan retired the two batters he faced in the eighth.
 
The Patriots and Rams play the rubber game of the series on Sunday afternoon with the first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. at Spuhler Field.