MERION STATION, Pa. – Three runs in the first and three more in the fourth provided an early spark on Friday as the Saint Joseph's baseball team topped George Washington, 7-4, in the opener of a three-game series between the teams at Smithson Field.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
• Saint Joseph's (9-10 overall, 4-0 Atlantic 10) got off to another fast start as Alex Kelsey was hit by a pitch and Blake Primrose singled before Richard Beggy tripled them home in the bottom of the first.  Beggy then scored on an error to give the Hawks a 3-0 lead.
 
• Back-to-back walks to Jason Janesko and Tim Dickinson started the fourth inning; Alex Venezia followed with a single to plate another run.  Two batters later, Ben Peterson ripped a two-run single to clear the bases and make it a 6-0 game.
 
• George Washington (8-12 overall, 2-2 Atlantic 10) got on the board through a single by Robbie Lavey in the fifth before consecutive RBI singles by Charlie Walsh and Conlon Walker in the top of the eighth cut the Hawk advantage to 6-3.
 
• A solo home run from Janesko in the eighth padded the lead before Michael Bravette scored on an error to set the final margin.
 
BEHIND THE BOX SCORE
• Duke McCarron pitched into the seventh for the Hawks, fanning six while allowing a run on six hits in six and two-thirds innings to earn the win.  Max Haug allowed six runs in five innings to take the loss.
 
• Venezia led the Hawks with a pair of hits while Janesko scored twice and Peterson and Beggy drove in two apiece.
 
UP NEXT
The Series continues on Saturday.