ARLINGTON, Va. – Andrew McGee (Toms River, N.J./Toms River South) went eight innings, allowing just a run on five hits, but the MU baseball team fell to George Washington in the weekend opener, 1-0. With the loss, Monmouth falls to 2-8 while George Washington improves to 5-9 on the year.

McGee gets the loss, dropping to 1-3 on the season, while George Washington starter Jacob Williams earns the win to improve to 2-1. Williams worked seven shutout innings, allowing just two hits and two walks, striking out one. Ryan Xepoleas went two-for-four for the home team, and Kevin Mahala also added two hits and scored the game's only run.

McGee worked through third inning trouble when the Colonials notched back-to-back singles, but went no further. The senior lefthander didn't allow a base runner until the third, and faced the minimum in five of the eight innings. Monmouth threatened in the sixth, loading the bases via two walks and an error with nobody out. After getting a force out at home, GW was able to turn a double play on Craig Sweeney (Middletown, N.J./Middletown South) to escape trouble.

George Washington scored the lone run of the game in the sixth, when Kevin Mahala led off with a single just past the outstretched glove of Jon Guida (Martinsville, N.J./Bridgewater-Raritan) and Ryan Xepoleas followed by beating out a bunt single. Joey Bartosic successfully bunted the runners up a base to set up Colin Gibbons-Fly's sacrifice fly to shallow right, with Mahala narrowly beating the throw home.

In the ninth, the Hawks got a base hit leading off from Danny Avella (Matawan, N.J./Christian Brothers Academy) and a walk from Jacobson after Sweeney popped out. With Guida batting, George Washington made a pitching change, and Colin Milon came on to induce a 6-4-3 double play to end the game and give the Colonials the victory in the first game of the weekend.

The series continues tomorrow at noon back at Barcroft Park for the second game of the three-game set.