Box score (PDF)

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Senior Laken Tignor tied the game with a pinch-hit, two-run home run in the eighth and graduate student catcher Logan Vaughan hit a three-run home run in the 10th inning to lift the Patriots to a 9-6 win over Saint Joseph's in the first game of the series on Friday at Smithson Field in Philadelphia, Pa.

THE LEADOFF

• Vaughan hit his first home run as a Patriot, drove in three runs and scored three runs.
• Tignor hit his first home run as a Patriot with his two-run home run in the eighth inning.
• Senior shortstop Owen Clyne reached base three times and scored two runs.
• Senior starter Logan Rumberg had nine strikeouts and redshirt-junior reliever Owen Stewart finished with eight strikeouts in the game.

George Mason (18-17, 10-6 A-10) took the lead against Siant Joseph's (23-13, 14-2 A-10) junior starter Duke McCarron in the top of the first inning.  With one out, Clyne walked and with two outs, graduate student Luciano Terilli tripled to the gap in right-center to put the Patriots in front, 1-0.

With one out in the top of the third, Vaughan was hit by a pitch and Clyne drew a walk for the second straight at bat.  After both runners moved into scoring position on a wild pitch, sophomore left fielder Lucas Alberti lifted a sacrifice fly to center, with Vaughan crossing the plate to make it 2-0.

Saint Joseph's took the lead in the bottom of the fourth against Rumberg.  With two outs, graduate student third baseman Richard Beggy hit a solo home run to right field.  After a walk, sophomore right fielder Jason Janesko homered down the right field line to give the Hawks a 3-2 advantage.

The Patriots responded in the top of the fifth.  Vaughan led off with a single to right field and Clyne reached on a dropped pop up.  With one out, Terilli walked to load the bases.  Junior third baseman Jake Butler then drew a walk to force in the tying run and freshman second baseman Julius Bagnerise drove in a run with a fielder's choice ground out to make the score 4-3 Patriots.

In the bottom of the fifth, Saint Joseph's regained the lead with RBI-double and RBI-single for a 5-4 lead.

Hawks junior designated hitter Joey Gale hit a leadoff home run off of Stewart in the bottom of the seventh to make it a 6-4 game.

With one out in the top of the eighth, senior designated hitter Evan Blanchard doubled down the third base line.  Tignor stepped to the plate as a pinch hitter and belted a two-run home run over the right field fence off Hawks sophomore reliever Matt Speicher to tie the game.

Saint Joseph's loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth with two singles and a walk, by Stewart recorded a strikeout to send the game into extra innings.

Bagnerise led off the top of the 10th with an infield single against Hawks senior reliever Andrew Gaines.  Junior first baseman Matthew Westley walked and Blanchard moved the runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt.  With two outs, Vaughan hit a three-run home run over the right field fence to lift the Patriots to a 9-6 win.

For the Patriots, Rumberg allowed five runs on five hits with nine strikeouts and just one walk in 4.2 innings.  Stewart (3-3) gave up just one run on five hits in 5.1 innings with eight strikeouts and just one walk and earned the win.

For the Hawks, McCarron allowed four runs, two earned, on three hits in 4.1 innings.  Speicher gave up two runs on four hits in 3.2 innings.  Gaines (3-1) surrendered three runs on two hits in 2.0 innings and took the loss.

The Patriots and Hawks wrap up the series with a doubleheader on Saturday with the first pitch for game one scheduled for 11 a.m. at Smithson Field in Philadelphia, Pa.