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FAIRFAX, Va. – George Mason junior center fielder James Quinn-Irons hit a three-run, walk-off home run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to lift the Patriots to an 8-6 win over Fordham in the series opener on Thursday afternoon at Spuhler Field.

THE LEADOFF

• Quinn-Irons hit his 14th home run of the season and drove in four runs. He leads the Atlantic 10 with 78 RBI.
• Junior starter Connor Knox scattered three hits in a season-high six innings of work.
• Sophomore right fielder Owen Hull had two hits and scored two runs.
• The Patriots improved to 20-3 at home and 20-8 in Atlantic 10 play.

George Mason (36-17, 20-8 A-10) took the lead against Fordham (23-30, 13-15 A-10) graduate student starter Mike Rabayda in the first inning.

Junior shortstop Owen Clyne led off with a double to right-center and Hull singled to right field to put runners on the corners.  Quinn-Irons plated a run with a single through the right side to put the Patriots in front, 1-0.  Hull would score from third base on an error on a failed pickoff attempt at first base to make it 2-0.

After Rabayda retired 14 in a row from the first inning to the first out in the sixth before the Patriots added two more runs. 

Sophomore third baseman Jake Butler doubled to left-center and freshman left fielder Lucas Alberti reached on a fielding error.  After sophomore second baseman Toby Hueber moved the runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt, freshman catcher Andrew Raymond and graduate student first baseman Jonny Wall each singled in a run to increase the lead to 4-0.

Fordham got on the board in the top of the seventh against Patriots graduate student Sam Lavin.  After a leadoff walk, Lavin retired the next two batters before giving up a RBI-double to Rams sophomore designated hitter Madden Ocko to make it 4-1.

In the top of the eighth, Fordham sent eight batters to the plate and scored four runs, one earned, on three hits against Lavin and graduate student Gardner Meeks to take 5-4 lead.

The Rams added a run in the top of the ninth on a RBI-single to make the score 6-4.

In the home half of the ninth, junior pinch hitter Evan Blanchard started the rally when he was awarded first base on catcher's interference.  With one out, graduate student pinch hitter Nick Barenze singled to the shortstop against Rams freshman reliever Beau Elson, with the runners moving the second and third on a throwing error.

With the Patriots down to their final out, Hull knocked in a run with an infield single to second base to make it a one-run game.

Fordham made the call to the bullpen for sophomore reliever Koen Smith.  Quinn-Irons then launched a three-run home run over the left field fence to lift the Patriots to the 8-6 win.

For the Patriots, Knox scattered three hits over 6.0 scoreless innings with six strikeouts and no walks.  Lavin allowed four runs, three earned, on three hits in 1.1 innings.  Meeks gave up two runs, one earned, on two hits in 1.0 innings.  Elliott (3-3) retired two batters in the ninth and earned the win.

For the Rams, Rabayda allowed four runs, one earned, on seven hits in 8.0 innings.  Elson surrendered three unearned runs on two hits and retired two batters in the ninth.  Smith was charged with one unearned run in the ninth.

Quinn-Irons went 2-for-5 with his 14th home run and four RBI.  Hull was 2-for-5 with one RBI and scored two runs.  Wall finished 1-for-4 and drove in a run.

The Patriots and Rams play the middle game of the series on Friday afternoon with the first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. at Spuhler Field.