FAIRFAX, Va. - The George Mason baseball team chipped away at an early Delaware lead but was unable to complete the comeback as it dropped game one of its weekend series with the Blue Hens, 8-5, on Friday afternoon at Spuhler Field.

Mason put 11 hits on the board, but fell behind early and was unable to recover as it dropped to 32-18 overall and 15-10 in the CAA. Delaware improved to 22-22 overall and 12-10 in the CAA.

Delaware wasted no time denting the scoreboard, bringing across three runs on four hits from its first four batters. UD second baseman DJ Long led off with a first pitch double, and after Montefusco dealt a strike, outfielder Nick Ferdinand followed with a double down the left field line to score Long. First baseman Jimmy Yezzo brought Ferdinand home on an RBI single up the middle, and designated hitter Alex Maruri then tripled to deep left center to bring Yezzo home for a 3-0 lead. The final Blue Hens run came on an RBI sacrifice fly by outfielder Tyler Powell, giving Delaware a 4-0 advantage in the first.

Delaware added a run in the fourth inning to push its lead to 5-0 as Long recorded his second RBI hit of the day with a single to left.

Mason chipped away at the UD lead in the fourth, as sophomore first baseman Mick Foley led off with a double to left, advanced to third on a groundout by sophomore outfielder Josh Leemhuis and came home as senior catcher Jake Leonardo grounded out to short, leaving the scoreboard at 5-1.

However, Delaware added three runs in the fifth to push its lead to 8-1 before a one hour and 17 minute rain and lightning delay halted the game in the top of the sixth.

The Patriots rallied coming out of the rain delay, loading the bases with no outs to open the home half of the sixth. Junior second baseman Chris Cook earned a run the hard way, as he was hit by a pitch to bring in a Mason run to leave the score at 8-2. Junior outfielder Nick Allen followed with a sacrifice fly to left and senior shortstop Brig Tison hit into an RBI fielders choice to chip away at the Blue Hens' lead, 8-4.

Mason put runners on base in each of the final three innings but was unable to capitalize until a rally in the bottom of the ninth. Tison led off with a double to left center and came home on an RBI single to right field by senior outfielder Dan Schafferman to pull the Patriots to within three, 8-5. However, Delaware closer Stephen Richter put down his last three batters faced to secure game one of the weekend series.

Schafferman led the Patriots at the plate, going 4-for-5 with an RBI, while Tison finished 3-for-5 with an RBI and one run scored.

Sophomore Anthony Montefusco (4-3) took the loss after working 4.1 innings and giving up eight earned runs on 12 hits. Sophomore Neight Hoffa and senior Branden Bartlett combined to throw the final 4.2 innings, limiting the Blue hens to just two hits.

Delaware starter Eric Young improved to 5-3, allowing four earned runs on eight hits in five innings of work. Eric Buckland threw 2.2 innings of relief with one hit before giving way to Richter who earned his seventh save of the season after working 1.1 innings with one earned run on two hits.

Eight of the nine starting batters for Delaware recorded a hit, led by a 2-for-4, two RBI performance from Powell.

The Patriots and Blue Hens return to the diamond tomorrow at 2:00 pm for game two of the weekend series.