FINAL SCOREÂ
George Mason 9 (5-4)
Monmouth 3 (3-5)
FAIRFAX, VA. – George Mason University scored the final seven runs of the game and secured a 9-3 win over the Monmouth University baseball team in the series opener on Friday.
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Both teams got the scoring started in the first inning.
Casey Caufield had a one-out double and came around to score on
Jay Bant's double.
Wyatt Hunt tacked on an RBI groundout, which gave the Hawks a 2-0 lead.
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George Mason answered with two runs in the bottom of the first and tied the game.Â
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Bant gave the Hawks the lead back in the top of the fifth as his RBI single scored
Nick Lovarco.Â
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A two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth put the Patriots on top for good, 4-3.
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George Mason added two runs in the sixth, two runs in the seventh and one the eighth for the 9-3 final.Â
NOTES
-Â It's the second straight season that the Hawks and Patriots have met for a three-game set.Â
- George Mason leads the all-time series 6-4 with Friday's victory.Â
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Jake Howlett made his Monmouth debut in the contest and recoded his first collegiate hit with a pinch-hit single.Â
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Chris Walsh started in left field for the Hawks, the third different position he's played this year (1B, DH, LF).  Â
NUMBERS CRUNCH
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Jay Bant had two hits and two RBIs for Monmouth. Bant has recorded multiple hits in each of his last two games (5-for-10 combined).
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Harry Padden had a pair of base knocks and has hit safely in four straight games.Â
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Wyatt Hunt had a season-high three hits for the Hawks and has hit in four straight contests.Â
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Nick Lovarco walked twice and scored two runs for the Hawks. It was his second game this season with multiple runs scored in a game.Â
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Casey Caufield had a double and has now hit safely in four straight games.
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Kevin Opanel started for the Hawks and had a season-high three strikeouts in three innings of work.
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Austin Beard suffered the loss for the Hawks as he gave up four runs in 2.2 innings of work
- Jake Drumm earned the win for George Mason as he went 2.2 innings in relief and allowed just one unearned run.
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NEXT UP
Monmouth and George Mason play the middle game of the series on Saturday, Mar. 1 at 1 p.m. Â Â Â
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