Brig Tison had a pair of bases loaded hits and drove in five runs but the George Mason bullpen allowed five runs in the top of the seventh and fell to James Madison, 10-8 on Sunday afternoon in the rubber match of the three-game series.

Tison was 2 for 4 with five RBI, Zack Helgeson had two hits and an RBI, and Ryan Pfaeffle had a terrific start allowing just three hits and three runs in six innings with two walks and 10 strikeouts. But Brandon Kuter did not get an out in the five batters he faced as the Mason bullpen allowed seven runs in three innings of work. David Herbek had two hits and two RBI for the Dukes. Sean Tierny pitched three and two-third innings of hitless relief to pick up the win.

Three pitches into the game, the Dukes (20-9, 10-5 CAA) had one out but two runs home. Cole McInturff grounded out on the first pitch, Pfaeffle hit Jake Lowery with his second pitch, then gave up a homer to Herbek on his third pitch. Mason was unable to respond in the bottom of the inning despite Chris Cook leading off with a walk, Dan Schafferman following with a one-out single and Shane Davis drawing a one-out walk. Blaise Fernandez struck out and Helgeson grounded out to strand the three base runners.

Mason (11-17-1, 2-10 CAA) didn't squander its opportunity in the second as a pair of walks and a fielding error by Matt Tenaglia at first loaded the bases and Tison delivered with a single to make it 2-2. Cook was thrown out trying to go to third on the play and Tison was thrown out trying to steal to end the rally.

The Patriots took the lead in the fifth thanks to some smart baserunning. Tison led off with a walk and Davis followed with a one-out single to put runners on first and second. Fernandez hit a foul pop to right field and after McInturff caught the ball for the second out, both runners tagged. McInturff's throw to first was late and high and Tison scored on the error. Davis scored from second when Helgeson doubled off the wall in centerfield. In the top of the sixth, the Dukes finally got their second hit off of Pfaeffle as Tenaglia singled, stole second, and scored on a Tyler McFarland double. But Pfaeffle struck out Alex Foltz to end the inning.

Mason would get four runs in the bottom of the sixth as reliever Nick Slogik was greeted rudely by the Patriots. Danny Lyons and Nick Allen opened the inning with hits, then Cook drew a four-pitch walk while trying to get down the sacrifice bunt. It proved to be beneficial for the Patriots as Tison delivered for the second time with a bases-clearing double.

The Dukes answered in the seventh as Kuter came on in relief and couldn't get an out in the five batters he faced. He hit Bradley Shaban to start the inning, then gave up a triple to Ian Haynes to make it 7-4. McInturff followed with a single to make it a two-run game and Kuter walked Lowery on four pitches and then hit Herbek to load the bases. Branden Bartlett came on and he got Tenaglia to hit a grounder to short but Brig Tison misplayed it. A run came home on the play but Tison was able to get to the ball and throw Lowery out trying to score. But Johnny Bladel followed with a single to tie the game and Tenaglia came home from third on Bladel's steal of second to give the Dukes an 8-7 lead.

In the ninth, Herbek led off with a single, Tenaglia singled and that ended Bartlett's outing. Neight Hoffa came on and intentionally walked Bladel after a Tenaglia steal. He got a ground out to make it 9-7. Later in the inning, with two outs, Shaban was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Tenaglia scored on a steal of home to make it 10-7. The Patriots pushed one across in the ninth as pinch hitter Jeremy Haas walked, Fernandez walked and Helgeson walked walked to load the bases. Jake Kalish grounded into a fielder's choice to make it 10-8 and Lyons hit a grounder to second to end the contest.

The Patriots will return to action on Tuesday when they host George Washington at 3 p.m.