BABSON PARK, Mass. -- Junior captain Alex Patinkin (Providence, R.I.) scored three goals and junior goalie James Whalen (Westwood, Mass.) made 13 saves in net as the Babson College men's lacrosse team opened its 2012 season with a thrilling 8-6 victory over 20th-ranked Skidmore College at MacDowell Field on Saturday.

In addition to Patinkin's three goals, Babson (1-0) received two scores from junior Jamie Schmidt (Shelburne, Vt.) and one goal and one assist from senior Cam Caruso (St. Charles, Ill.). Defensively, the Beavers were led by sophomore Ryan Dawidjan (Worcester, Mass.), who led all players with nine caused turnovers while also picking up seven groundballs, and sophomore Cam Spofford (Merrimac, Mass.), who added four CTs in the winning effort. In addition to his 13 saves, Whalen also joined Dawidjan with seven groundballs.

Sophomore Brad Bero (Carlisle, Mass.) and senior Scott Schachter (Rumford, R.I.) rounded out Babson's scoring with one goal apiece, and Bero and junior John Clausing (Ridgewood, N.J.) each contributed four groundballs.

Skidmore was led by junior Mike Perlow (Briarcliff, N.Y.), who scored two goals and picked up five groundballs, and junior Tyler Masters (Pembroke, Bermuda), who led all players with 12 groundballs. Senior Ryan Paradis (Brookside, N.J.) tallied one goal while winning 15 of 17 face-offs, and senior Connor Dowling (Darien, Conn.) finished with 18 saves in net.

Babson opened the scoring with a man-up marker by Bero midway through the first quarter, but Skidmore responded with three unanswered scores to go up 3-1 early in the second. After Patinkin netted his first of the game to snap the streak, Perlow scored his second goal of the contest on a man-up opportunity as the Thoroughbreds pushed their advantage to 4-2.

The Beavers tied the game with two straight scores over the final seven minutes of the half - the first when Schachter comverted a feed from senior Brian Magner (Norwell, Mass.) and the second on an unassisted tally from Schmidt. Schmidt then opened the second half scoring when he scored his second of the day off a Caruso assist as the hosts regained the advantage, 5-4.

Junior Sam Lawfer (Milton, Mass.) evened the contest again when he converted a Brian Connolly (Babylon, N.Y.) pass midway through the third quarter, but Babson took the lead for good when Patinkin scored his second of the afternoon later in the period to make it 6-5. Caruso then netted what would prove to be the game-winner early in the fourth, and Patinkin followed with his third of the day off a Jeremy Yudkin (Franklin Lakes, N.J.) assist for an 8-5 advantage. Skidmore managed a late goal by sophomore Richie Davis (Edgewater, Md.) but it would not be enough to prevent the 8-6 Babson victory.