Box score (PDF)
 
FAIRFAX, Va. – The Patriots rallied for two runs in the bottom of the ninth but dropped the first game of their series against George Washington, 3-2, on Friday afternoon at Spuhler Field.
 
Mason (13-15, 1-3 A10) senior starter and George Washington (19-10, 4-0 A10) graduate student starter Michael Foltz kept the game scoreless through the first two innings.
 
The Revolutionaries took the lead in the top of the third when junior right fielder Sam Gates led off with a home run over the right field fence.
 
Graduate student left fielder Steve DiTomaso and freshman designated hitter Charlie Rogan both singled to put runners on the corners with no outs.  Junior catcher Tim Nicholson then drove in a run with a fielder's choice groundout to make it 2-0.
 
Foltz retired the first 12 batters he faced in the game and didn't allow a hit until Patriots sophomore right fielder James Quinn-Irons singled with two outs in the home half of the fifth.
 
Freshman third baseman Jake Butler walked and junior shortstop Carsen Pracht was hit by a pitch to load the bases.  Foltz was forced to leave the game with an injury and graduate student Jarret Korson entered and retired senior left fielder Derek Wood with a fly out to end the threat.
 
In the top of the seventh, Nicholson hit a solo home run off Mason freshman reliever Shaun Okeeffe to increase the lead to 3-0.
 
The Patriots rallied in the bottom of the ninth against George Washington graduate student closer Brandon Siegenthaler.
 
Graduate student second baseman South Trimble walked, senior center fielder Jordan Smith singled and junior first baseman Reece Woody singled to load the bases.  With one out, graduate student designated hitter Ben Jones plated a run with a sacrifice fly to cut the lead to 3-1.
 
Quinn-Irons then lined a single to right, with Smith crossing the plate to make it a one-run game at 3-2.
 
With runners on first and third, Siegenthaler recorded a strikeout to end the game.
 
For the Patriots, Martins (1-4) allowed two runs on nine hits in 5.1 innings and took the loss.  Okeeffe gave up one run on one hit in 1.2 innings of work.  Graduate student Luke Goodyear tossed 2.0 hitless frames.
 
For the Revolutionaries, Foltz allowed just one hit in 4.2 innings.  Korson (2-1) pitched 2.1 hitless innings and earned the win.  Siegenthaler surrendered two runs on three hits over 2.0 innings and notched his fifth save of the season.
 
Quinn-Irons went 2-for-4 with one RBI, while Smith and Woody each went 1-for-4 on the day.
 
George Mason and George Washington play the middle game of the series on Saturday afternoon with the first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m. at Spuhler Field.