Box score (PDF)

FAIRFAX, Va. – With one out and runners on second and third in the bottom of the ninth inning, Lucas Alberti barreled a single over the head of Rhode Island's center fielder to walk-off the Rams 5-4 in Friday afternoon's Atlantic 10 showdown at Spuhler Field in Fairfax. The Patriots now have sole possession of first place in the conference while the Rams now sit in second.

THE LEADOFF

• Junior center fielder James Quinn-Irons went 2-for-2 with one walk and drove in a team-high two runs, which included a stand-up RBI triple in the third inning and a sacrifice fly in the fifth with the bases loaded. He also scored a game-high two runs.
• Junior shortstop Owen Clyne knocked in three hits (game-high) and scored the first run of the game off Quinn-Irons' triple in the third inning.
• Sophomore second baseman Jake Butler drove in the second run of the game with a sacrifice fly in the third inning.
• Graduate student first baseman Jonny Wall went 2-for-3 and plated George Mason's fourth run of the game in the sixth inning with an RBI single to the left side. finished with four hits, one RBI and scored two runs.
• Freshman left fielder Lucas Alberti delivered the walk-off single with one out in the bottom of the ninth with on a 2-1 count that scored Quinn-Irons from third.
• Graduate student pitcher Gardner Meeks secured his third win of the season after pitching three hitless innings in the final third of the game.
• Junior starting pitcher Connor Knox struck out two rams in three innings of work, while graduate student pitcher Sam Lavin recorded a game-high three strikeouts.
• The Patriots have won 11 of their last 13 games.

After both teams held each other scoreless in the first two and a half innings, George Mason (28-14, 13-6 A-10) broke the deadlock with Rhode Island (26-16, 13-6 A-10) in the bottom of the third. After Owen Clyne led the inning off with a first-pitch double to right center, he advanced to third with an Owen Hull sacrifice bunt. James Quinn-Irons then drove in the first run with a stand-up triple to right center, easily scoring Clyne.

Jake Butler, the following Patriot batter, lifted an RBI sacrifice fly center field which scored Quinn-Irons for the second run of the inning.

After both the Patriots and Rams recorded scoreless innings in the fourth, George Mason tacked on their run of the game in the bottom of the fifth. With the bases loaded and nobody out, Quinn-Irons recorded his second RBI of the afternoon with a sacrifice fly to right and scored leadoff runner Jonny Wall from third.

After a subsequent Patriot flyout, graduate student catcher Andrew Raymond loaded the bases again with a walk on a full count. The Rams' defense limited the damage to just one run in the inning, however, after sophomore third baseman Anthony DePino cleanly fielded a hard-hit ground ball and got the final out of the inning with a hard throw to first.

The Patriots' 3-0 lead was quickly erased in the top of the sixth inning after a pair of Ram home runs gave Rhode Island a one-run lead. Leadoff hitter Eric Genther reached on base after being hit by pitch and sophomore shortstop Reece Moroney drew a five-pitch walk.

After a quick flyout to center, graduate student first baseman DJ Perron was the fourth batter of the inning. On an 0-1 count, Perron pulled a three-run home run over the left field wall, instantly tying the game. After the following Ram struck out, graduate student left fielder Nic Notarangelo hit a solo shot to right field. At the end of the inning, the Rams had taken a 4-3 lead.

The Rhode Island lead would not last for long, as George Mason would tie the game in the bottom half of the inning. After leadoff hitter Evan Blanchard reached first on a fielding error by third baseman DePino, Blanchard advanced to second on a Nick Barenz pinch hit sacrifice bunt. Following a wild pitch during Jonny Wall's at bat, Wall hit an RBI single to the left side on an 0-1 count. The Patriots and Rams were deadlocked again at 4 runs-a-piece going into the final third of the game.

The final third of the game became a pitchers' duel between Rhode Island's Brandon Hsu and George Mason's Gardner Meeks. Hsu pitched two and a third scoreless innings, surrendering only a leadoff infield single in the seventh, while George Mason's Meeks came in relief at the start of the seventh inning and pitched three hitless innings. Rhode Island would put in their fourth pitcher of the game, Joe Sabbath, to start the final frame of the game.

In the bottom of the ninth, George Mason immediately got into scoring position after Quinn-Irons led off with an infield single and an advancement to second off a Rhode Island throwing error from short. Up next to bat was Butler, who laid down a bunt single and advanced Quinn-Irons to third.

After Butler stole second later in the inning, Alberti walked-off the Rams with a high-arcing single over the center fielder's head who was playing near the infield. Quinn-Irons trotted home, scoring his second run of the game, and the Patriots won the first game of the weekend series.

The Patriots play their second game of the weekend tomorrow, Saturday April 26. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Spuhler Field and can be watched on ESPN+.