Box score (PDF)

ST. LOUIS, Mo. – The Patriots scored three runs in the ninth inning in a 5-3 win over Saint Louis in the middle game of the series at Billiken Sports Center in St. Louis, Mo.

THE LEADOFF

• Graduate student reliever Carter Kelsey earned his first win as a Patriot.
• Junior first baseman Jake Butler had two hits, one RBI and stole home.
• Sophomore left fielder Lucas Alberti had two hits, one RBI and scored a run.
• The Patriots have won the first two games of the three-game series by 5-3 scores.

Saint Louis (12-14, 4-4 A-10) took the lead against George Mason (13-11, 6-2 A-10) graduate student starter Diego Cardenas in the bottom of the first.  Senior center fielder Ian Blazier reached on an error to start the inning and with two outs, senior designated hitter Chase Beattie singled in a run to put the Billikens in front, 1-0.

Cardenes would then toss five scoreless innings.  He worked a season-high 7.1 innings in the outing.

The Patriots tied the score in the top of the third against Billikens sophomore starter Ty Holman.  Senior right fielder Drew Canody led off with a single, moved to second on a wild pitch, went to third on a groundout and scored on an error to make it 1-1.

George Mason took the lead in the top of the seventh against Saint Louis junior reliever Liam McKinney.  With one out, freshman second baseman Julius Bagnerise reached on an error and went to second on a groundout.  Clyne then drove in the go-ahead run with a double to left-center.

In the home half of the eighth, the Billikens tied the game 2-2 on a one-out, solo home run by junior first baseman Riley Iffrig.  Saint Louis then loaded the bases with a single and two walks, but Kelsey got out of the jam with a strikeout and a groundout.

In the top of the ninth against Saint Louis junior reliever Drew Welk, Bagnerise was hit by a pitch to start the inning and Butler singled.  With one out, the Patriots executed a double steal, and Alberti drove in a run with a single to vault the Patriots into the lead, 3-2.  After a sacrifice bunt moved two runners into scoring position, Butler stole home and Alberti stole third.  Alberti would score on a balk to make it 5-2.

The Billikens scored the final run of the game with a RBI-double in the bottom of the ninth for the 5-3 final score.

For the Patriots, Cardenas allowed two runs on eight hits in 7.1 innings.  Kelsey (1-1) gave up one run on two hits in 1.2 innings and earned the win.

For the Billikens, Holman allowed one run on five hits in 6.0 innings.  McKinney gave up an unearned run on two hits in 2.0 innings.  Welk (1-4) surrendered three runs on two hits in the ninth and took the loss.

The series finale is Sunday with the first pitch scheduled for noon (EST) at Billiken Sports Center in St. Louis, Mo.