Box score (PDF)

FAIRFAX, Va. – Senior right fielder Drew Canody and freshman second baseman Julius Bagnerise each hit a three-run home run, and senior shortstop Owen Clyne hit a two-run home run to lead the Patriots to a 17-5 win over La Salle on Thursday afternoon at Spuhler Field.

The Patriots clinched a spot in the 2026 Atlantic 10 Baseball Championship with the win and Fordham's loss to St. Bonaventure.

THE LEADOFF

• Clyne had four hits including his eighth home run, two RBI and scored three runs.  He has hit a home run in three straight games.
• Bagnerise hit his third home run and finished with four RBI and scored two runs.
• Canody hit his second home run of the season for three RBI and scored three runs.
• The Patriots scored a season-high 17 runs on 11 hits.

George Mason (26-24, 16-12 A-10) took the lead against La Salle (24-29, 8-20 A-10) sophomore starter Dante Edwardi in the bottom of the first.  With one out, Clyne single and went all the way to third on a throwing error.  After sophomore left fielder Lucas Alberti walked, graduate student center fielder Luciano Terilli drove in a run with a ground out to put the Patriots in front, 1-0.  Junior first baseman Jake Butler singled to put runners on the corners and senior designated hitter Evan Blanchard singled in a run to make it 2-0.  Bagnerise then belted his third home run of the season, a three-run blast over the right-center field fence as the Patriots built a 5-0 advantage.

In the top of the second, the Explorers got on the board against Patriots senior starter Logan Rumberg with a pair of solo home runs to cut the lead to 5-2.  In the bottom of the inning, Canody singled and Clyne smashed a two-run home run to center field to make the score 7-2.

The Patriots loaded the bases in the home half of the fourth against La Salle freshman reliever Matt DeStefanis on a leadoff single by Clyne and walks by Alberti and Terilli.  Alberti raced home on a wild pitch and Butler knocked in another with a sacrifice bunt to extend the lead to 9-2.

In the bottom of the eighth, the Patriots sent 11 batters to the plate and scored eight runs on three hits, three hit batters and two walks against La Salle graduate student Isaac Kopalchick and junior Bruce Wadiak.  Blanchard was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in a run, Butler drew a bases loaded walk to plate another, Terilli had a two-run double and in his second at-bat in the inning, Canody hit a three-run home run to make it 17-2.

The Explorers scored three runs on three hits in the ninth against Patriots junior Parker Thomas for the 17-5 final score.

For the Patriots, Rumberg (6-3) allowed two runs on four hits in 7.0 innings to earn the win.  Thomas gave up three runs on three hits in 2.0 innings.

Clyne went 4-for-5 with a two-run home, a double and three runs scored.  Terilli was 2-for-4 with a double, walk, three RBI and scored two runs.  Canody finished 2-for-5 with a three-run home run and scored three runs.  Eight players in the lineup scored at least one run and five players had a multi-RBI game.

The Explorers used five pitchers in the game.  Edwardi (2-1) allowed seven runs on six hits in 1.1 innings and took the loss.  DeStefanis gave up two runs on two hits in 4.0 innings.  Kopalchick and Wadiak each surrendered four runs on one hit in the eighth inning.

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