Box score (PDF)

FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason Patriots recorded a run in four of the eight innings at the plate and struck out nine Hawks on the mound en route to a decisive 6-2 victory in Friday afternoon's series opener against Saint Joseph's at Spuhler Field in Fairfax, Va. The Friday win moves the Patriots into sole possession of first place in the conference standings.

THE LEADOFF

• Junior starting pitcher Connor Knox only allowed two hits, one earned run and earned his second win of the season after pitching season highs in innings pitched (5.0) and strikeouts (6).
• Graduate student reliever Sam Lavin earned his first save as a Patriot after tossing four shutout innings and only gave up one hit to close out the game.
• Junior right fielder Drew Canody got the Patriots on the board in the third inning with a game-tying solo home run to left center; it was Canody's first home run since Feb. 23 against Saint Peter's.
• Along with Canody, graduate student first baseman Jonny Wall and sophomore designated hitter Owen Hull collected two hits on the day. Wall recorded a game-high two runs scored while Hull stole three bases, tying his season-high for a third time.
• The Patriots have won 13 of their last 17 games and now have won ten of their last 11 home games.

The battle for first place in the Atlantic 10 started with a quick score by the visiting team, Saint Joseph's (21-21, 14-8 A-10). After leadoff hitter Alex Kelsey drew a five pitch walk, the freshman center fielder stole second base and later advanced to third on an error during a pickoff attempt. Junior left fielder Joey Pagano lifted a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Kelsey.

The Hawks would keep the lead until the bottom of the third inning, when George Mason's (30-16, 15-8 A-10) Drew Canody hit a 107 mile-per-hour, 387-foot solo home run over the left center wall in his first at-bat to tie the game at one. It was the junior right fielder's first home run since Feb. 23, when he hit a solo shot to left against Saint Peter's.

The Patriots struck again the following inning with four singles and two more runs scored. After leadoff hitter Jake Butler singled and advanced to second on an error made during a Hawk pickoff attempt, freshman left fielder Lucas Alberti lined an RBI single up the middle. Alberti then advanced to second off a Toby Hueber single up the middle. The inning was capped off with a Jonny Wall RBI single to center on a 1-1 count.

Going into the top of the fifth with a 3-1 Patriot lead, Saint Joseph's returned to the plate and leadoff hitter Tim Dickinson hit a towering solo shot down the right field line and over the wall. That would be the only hit the Hawks collected in the inning, as George Mason's starting pitcher Connor Knox retired the side with a couple of strikeouts and a flyout to right field.

Patriot reliever Sam Lavin came in the top of the sixth inning and would retire the next six Hawk batters in order. His only hit given up in his outing was a two-out single that was softly hit into shallow center in the eighth inning. 

George Mason added two more insurance runs in the bottom of the seventh After Wall and Canody recorded their second hits of the day by means of a single and a double, respectively. Junior shortstop Owen Clyne then lifted a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Wall at third.

Saint Joseph's pulled starter Frank Ciccone for reliever Matt Fitzgibbon, whose first batter he faced was sophomore designated hitter Owen Hull. On a 2-1 count, Hull hit an RBI single to center, scoring Canody from second.

The Patriots tacked on one last run in the eighth inning with a bases-loaded sacrifice fly by Wall, which scored leadoff man Butler from third.

Lavin, who first came into the game to start the sixth inning, was back on the mound to complete the save bid in the ninth. The Algonquin, Ill., native struck out his third Hawk of the day, followed by an 11-pitch duel that resulted in a groundout to second and finally ended the sub-two and a half hour game with a groundout to third.

Lavin earned his first Patriot save while Knox improved his record to 2-0 on the season. It was Knox's first win since the start of the season against East Carolina on Feb. 14.

The Patriots play their second game of the weekend tomorrow, Saturday May 3. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Spuhler Field and can be watched on ESPN+.