FAIRFAX, VA – Monmouth University Baseball (5-4) got six strong innings from Dan Klepchick and a big day at the plate from Dixon Black in beating George Mason University (5-5) Saturday, 9-7.
 
Ben Winstead's RBI single in the second gave MU a 1-0 lead, but George Mason plated three in the fourth to lead it 3-1. Alex Barker's double in the fifth got the Hawks within one, with the tying run cut down at the dish on the play.
 
Down a run entering the sixth, the Hawk bats exploded for a seven-run inning. Casey Caufield singled home a run, and a bases loaded walk added a second. Black came up with one down and the bases full and hammered one over the left field wall for his third homer of the year, making it 7-3 MU. The Hawks added a run in the inning to lead 9-3. George Mason scored four times in the ninth but Reed Interdonato struck out the final batter to close out the win.
 
NOTES AND QUOTES
 
"Good bounce back after yesterday. Once we went ahead it enabled us to relax a little. Klepchick was real good today, then Barker came in and settled things down. We made it interesting in the ninth but Reed closed it out. A few good two strike at bat in the big inning and Barker and Dixon had the big hits. Looking forward to seeing how we respond tomorrow." – Head Coach Dean Ehehalt
 
-Dan Klepchick won his 14^th career game.
-The home run was Dixon Black's team-leading third of the season.
-It marked Black's first career grand slam, and the first of the year. The last came on Alex Barker's walk-off grand slam in the MAAC Tournament opening round against Siena last May.
-Reed Interdonato picked up his first career save.
-Joey Ventresca made his first appearance on the mound this year.

NUMBERS CRUNCH
-Each team had nine hits.
-Klepchick earned the win with six innings, allowing three runs on five hits with zero walks.
-Interdonato struck out the final batter to earn the save.
-Alex Barker tossed two one-hit shutout innings in relief.

UP NEXT
-Monmouth and George Mason wrap up the series tomorrow afternoon at 1:00 p.m.