FAIRFAX, Va. - The George Mason baseball team battled with Richmond early, but the Spiders were able to take the lead in the fourth and sweep the home-and-home series with the Patriots, winning 7-5 on Wednesday afternoon at Spuhler Field.

Richmond picked up its ninth win in 10 games, improving to 14-3 overall. Mason dropped its fourth-consecutive game and now stands at 7-9 on the season.

Much like yesterday's contest the Spiders jumped out to an early lead, bringing in a run with a sac fly by Brett Williams to go up, 1-0. However, the Patriots responded in the home half of the inning as Richmond starter Chris Bates did not record a strike against his first two batters faced in Nick Allen and Duncan Satherlie. After Tucker Tobin flied out, Blaise Fernandez delivered a sharply hit double to center field, allowing Allen to score and draw the score even at 1-1.

Richmond grabbed the lead back in the third, seeing Chris Bell lead off with a double and eventually come home on a two-out double to right center from Williams for his second RBI of the game. Nick Poulos followed with a single to put runners at the corners, and a double steal allowed Williams to come home, giving Richmond a 3-1 advantage. A bloop single to shallow right field from Adam Forrer tacked another run on the board for the Spiders, as they ended the third with a 4-1 lead.

Again the Patriots responded, getting those runs right back in the home half of the inning. With one out in the third, Fernandez singled through the left side and came home on a double from Anthony Montefusco that found the gap in left field. Ray Toto followed with an RBI single, as Montefusco just beat the throw home to pull the Patriots to within one run, 4-3. Josh Leemhuis singled to left to put runners at the corners and after he advanced to scoring position with a stolen base, both he and Toto moved up 90 feet on a wild pitch, scoring Toto and tying the game at 4-4.

Richmond gained control in the fourth with an RBI groundout from Bell to again take the lead, 5-4. Bell added to the lead in the eighth, hitting his first home run of the season over the left field wall to add some insurance runs for the Spiders, 7-4.

Mason attempted a rally in the bottom of the ninth, using a leadoff single from Tobin, and one batter later Montefusco walked to leave runners at first and second. Toto would then ground into a fielder's choice, with the Spiders going for the out at second, leaving Patriots at the conrners before Leemhuis singled to left, scoring Tobin and pulling the Patriots to within two runs, 7-5. Mason saw its rally fall short, as Brandon Gum grounded out to end the game.

Ray Harron picked up his first win of the season after working the fourth and fifth innings for the Spiders, allowing one hit with a walk and two strikeouts. Reliever Dan Martinson earned his first save of the year, working the final two innings and giving up a run on two hits. Starter Chris Bates received no decision after throwing three innings and allowing four runs on five hits with four walks and five strikeouts.  

Chris Payne dropped to 0-1 for Mason after 2.2 innings of relief and giving up the winning run (unearned) with four strikeouts. Starter Tanner Love lasted three innings, allowing four runs on six hits with four strikeouts.

Mason returns to conference action this weekend, hosting Northeastern. Friday's 3:00 p.m. game is the Game of the Week, and all students in attendance will receive a hot dog and soda.