Box score (PDF)

TOWSON, Md. – The Patriots recorded 20 hits and defeated Towson, 15-3 in seven innings on Tuesday afternoon at Schuerholz Park in Towson, Md.

THE LEADOFF

• Junior third baseman Evan Blanchard went 5-for-5 with two RBI and scored a run.
• Graduate student first baseman Jonny Wall was 3-for-4 with a double, RBI and two runs scored.
• Sophomore right fielder Owen Hull finished 3-for-4 with a triple, one RBI and one run scored.
• Junior center fielder James Quinn-Irons hit his ninth home run of the season.
• Junior designated hitter Drew Canody had two hits, drove in two runs and scored two runs.
• Seven Patriots had a multi-hit game and five players drove in at least two runs.
• Junior starter Owen Stewart tossed one scoreless inning in his season debut.

George Mason (21-12, 8-4 A-10) took the lead against Towson (12-21, 4-5 CAA) junior starter Jace Cunnane in the top of the second.  The Patriots sent 13 batters to the plate and scored nine runs on seven hits and took advantage of four Tigers errors to take a 9-0 lead.

Blanchard singled and went to second on a passed ball.  Wall then singled to put runners on the corners and Canody plated the first run of the game with an infield single to third base.  Junior shortstop Owen Clyne reached on a fielding error, with Wall scoring on the play to make it 2-0.

After a sacrifice bunt moved a pair of runners into scoring position, Quinn-Irons was intentionally walked to load the bases and he was the first of seven straight Patriots to reach base.  The next four George Mason batters drove in a run.  Sophomore second baseman Jake Butler forced in a run with a walk, freshman left fielder Lucas Alberti reached on a fielding error to drive in a run, freshman catcher Andrew Raymond plated another with an infield single and Blanchard singled to the pitcher to knock in a run to increase the lead to 7-0.

With two outs, Wall doubled in a run and Canody followed with a RBI-single to make the score 9-0.

In the bottom of the second, Towson used a leadoff walk to get on the scoreboard.

Blanchard and Clyne each drove in a run with a single in the top of the fourth to extend the advantage to 11-1.

With one out in the top of the fifth, Butler walked and advanced to both second and third on a pair of wild pitches.  Alberti then drove in the 12th run of the game with an infield single.

The Tigers scored their final two runs of the day in the bottom of the fifth, scoring one on a groundout and another on a wild pitch.

In the top of the sixth, Canody led off with a walk and scored on a triple by Hull.  Quinn-Irons then stepped to the plate and hit a two-run home run over the left field fence for the 15-3 final score.

For the Patriots, Stewart pitched the first inning in his season debut.  Rumberg (2-2) allowed one run on three hits in 3.0 innings and earned the win.  Freshman Michael Bilo and classmate Jake Drumm each tossed a 1.0 scoreless inning.

For the Tigers, Cunnane (0-1) surrendered nine runs, two earned, on nine hits in 2.0 innings and took the loss. 

Blanchard went 5-for-5 with two RBI and one run scored.  Wall was 3-for-4 with one RBI and two runs scored.  Alberti finished 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored.  Canody went 2-for-3 and reached base three times with two RBI and two runs scored.  Hull was 3-for-4 with a triple, one RBI, and scored a run.

The Patriots are on the road for a three-game weekend series against VCU beginning Friday with the first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m. at The Diamond in Richmond, Va.