Box score (PDF)
 
ST. LOUIS, Mo. – The Patriots dropped the first game of their series to Saint Louis, 4-3, on Friday at the Billiken Sports Complex in St. Louis, Mo.
 
Redshirt sophomore starter Konner Eaton equaled his season-high with nine strikeouts over five innings of work in his 12th start of the season.
 
George Mason (19-24, 6-10 A10) opened the scoring against Saint Louis (31-11, 11-5 A10) junior starter Jackson Holmes in the top of the second.
 
Graduate student left fielder Ben Jones reached on an error to start the inning and sophomore right fielder James Quinn-Irons followed with a double to the gap in left-center to put a pair of runners in scoring position. 
 
Junior first baseman Reece Woody then drove in Jones from third with a groundout and Quinn-Irons scrambled home on an error on the throw to the plate to put the Patriots in front, 2-0.
 
Saint Louis got on the board in the bottom of the third against Eaton.
 
Senior catcher Knox Preston led off the inning with an infield single to third base.  After a strikeout, junior Ethan Sitzman was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second.  Senior right fielder Drew Winters and senior first baseman Cole Smith each plated a run with back-to-back singles to tie the score, 2-2.
 
The Billikens loaded the bases with a walk, but Eaton was able to get out of the jam with back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning.
 
The Patriots reclaimed the lead in the top of the sixth against Billikens junior reliever Jack Weber.  With one out, Woody singled to center and freshman third baseman Jake Butler singled to left.  After both runners advanced into scoring position on a wild pitch, junior catcher Connor Dykstra drove in Woody from third with a groundout to second base to make it a 3-2 game.
 
The Billikens got the run back in the bottom of the inning against Mason sophomore reliever Owen Stewart.  With two outs, Preston singled and scored on a double by junior center fielder Hayden Moore to tie the score, 3-3.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, Winters led off with a single to left-center, moved to second on a balk and to third on a wild pitch.  Stewart struck out the next batter before the Patriots summoned graduate student reliever Luke Goodyear from the bullpen.  Saint Louis sophomore shortstop Easton Richter drove in a run with a single to right to give the Billikens their first lead of the game at 4-3.
 
For the Patriots, Eaton allowed two runs on three hits in 5.0 inning with nine strikeouts and three walks.  Stewart (1-3) was charged with two runs on three hits in 1.1 innings and took the loss.  Goodyear gave up two hits in 1.2 innings of work.
 
For the Billikens, Holmes allowed two unearned runs on four hits in 5.0 innings. Weber (3-0) gave up one run on two hits in 2.0 innings and earned the win.  Senior Ethan Bell tossed 2.0 hitless innings to notch his sixth save of the season.

Dykstra went 2-for-4 with two doubles and drove in a run and Woody finished 1-for-4 with one RBI.
 
The Patriots and Billikens will play the middle game of the series on Saturday with the first pitch scheduled for 3 p.m. at Billikens Sports Complex in St. Louis, Mo.