FAIRFAX, Va. – The Saint Joseph's baseball team opened its weekend series at George Mason on Friday, falling to the host Patriots by a 6-2 score at Spuhler Field.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
• Saint Joseph's (21-21 overall, 14-8 Atlantic 10) got on the board right away as Alex Kelsey worked a leadoff walk, stole second, went to third on a failed pickoff attempt, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Joey Pagano.
 
• The Patriots equalized in the third on a solo home run by Drew Canody before taking the lead in the fourth on RBI singles by Lucas Alberti and Jonny Wall.
 
• Tim Dickinson hit a solo home run in the top of the fifth to bring the Hawks back within one.
 
• George Mason (30-16 overall, 15-7 Atlantic 10) extended its lead in the seventh through a sacrifice fly by Owen Clyne and a single by Owen Hull.  Wall then lofted a sac fly of his own in the eighth to set the final margin.
 
BEHIND THE BOX SCORE
• Connor Knox tossed five innings and allowed two runs on two hits for George Mason to earned the win; Sam Lavin finished the game with four innings of shutout relief to earn the save.  Frank Ciccone worked into the seventh and was charged with five runs on nine hits while striking out four in defeat.
 
• Dickinson's home run was his seventh of the season, tying him with Pagano for second on the team.
 
UP NEXT
The teams will continue the series on Saturday.