RICHMOND, Va. – The Richmond baseball team struck early and put 16 hits on the board as it slugged its way over Mason, 11-2, on Tuesday afternoon at Pitt Field.

The Spiders took the first game of a home-and-home weekday series, improving to 13-3 overall. Mason dropped to 7-8 on the season. Richmond starter Peter Bayer improved to 2-0 with the win, while Mason starter Nick Kendrick evened his record at 1-1.

Richmond assumed a 1-0 advantage in the first inning, as leadoff man Matt Zink walked and advanced to third on two consecutive stolen bases, eventually coming home on a single to left by first baseman Bret Williams.

Zink added to the lead in the second, hitting a single up the middle to bring in a run and Tanner Stanley followed with a two-run double to put the home team up, 4-0.

Tucker Tobin cut the Richmond advantage in half in the third, smashing a two-run home run over the wall in left center for his sixth home run of the season, leaving the score at 4-2. However, the Spiders got those runs and more back in the bottom of the inning, adding three runs and extending their lead to 7-2.

Three consecutive two-out singles for the Spiders in the bottom of the fifth allowed another run to come home and put the Spider advantage at 8-2.

Freshman Tyler Mocabee threw the sixth and seventh innings for the Patriots, setting down the Spiders in order in the sixth and allowing just a single in the seventh.

Richmond wasn't done with its scoring however, as it added three more in the eighth. Four straight singles to start the inning brought in another run, 9-2, and a bases-loaded hit by pitch and fielder's choice from Zink put Richmond ahead, 11-2.

Tobin and Brandon gum were the lone Patriots with multiple hits, going 2-for-5 and 2-for-4, respectively. For Richmond, Zink finished the game 2-for-5 with two RBI's and four stolen bases.

Kendrick worked two innings for Mason, allowing four runs on four hits with three walks and two strikeouts. Michael Bowie threw the third-fifth innings, giving up for runs (one earned) on seven hits with two strikeouts. Mocabee went two scorless innings, allowing one hit with a strikeout, and Brett Hendricks and Neight Hoffa combined to throw the eighth, giving up three runs on four hits with a strikeout.

Bayer threw six innings for the Spiders, scattering six hits and allowing two run with three walks and eight strikeouts. James Lively and Dylan Stoops combined for three hits and three strikeouts over the final three innings.

The two teams face each other again tomorrow, gametime at Spuhler Field set for 3:00 p.m.