FAIRFAX, Va. - Junior Anthony Montefusco had as strong showing on the mound and at the plate to help the George Mason baseball team end its five game skid with a 3-2 win over Northeastern in CAA action on Saturday afternoon at Spuhler Field.

Mason improved to 8-10 overall and 2-3 in the conference with the win, while NU dropped to 10-7 overall and 2-3 in the CAA. Montefusco picked up his second win of the season, evening his record at 2-2 and John Williams threw two strong innings for his second save. Huskies starter Nick Berger threw his second complete game of the season but took the loss, falling to 2-3.

It was a brisk start to the game, as Montefusco scattered two hits and two strikeouts over the first four innings, while Berger limited the Patriots to two hits with three strikeouts over the same span.

Montefusco allowed a hit to start the fifth, but got John Puttress to ground into a double play and Josh Treff to fly out to end the top half of the fifth. Also serving as the designated hitter for the Patriots, Montefusco then led off the home half of the inning with a single and Patrick Esposito followed with a single to left, leaving two runners on for Mason. Berger struck out the next two Patriots, but Nick Allen was hit by a pitch to loaded the bases and Vitaletti hit an infield single to score Montefusco and give Mason the lead for the first time this series, 1-0.

Adding to the lead in the home half of the sixth, Tucker Tobin led off with a single to center, Blaise Fernandez walked and Montefusco flied out to center, advancing Tobin to third where he was able to come home on an RBI single by Esposito. Derek Evans followed with a sacrifice fly to right field, bringing in Fernandez to put the Patriots ahead, 3-0.

Northeastern made it interesting in the seventh, as Montefusco allowed his first two batters faced to reach by walk and hit by pitch. After he recorded a strikeout, the Mason defense stumbled, as John Puttress reached on a fielder's choice that looked like it would develop into a double play, but Evans' throw to first got past Tobin and allowed a run to score. Treff then singled to right center to bring in another run and Pete Castoldi reached on a Mason fielding error, but Montefusco got Aaron Barbosa to ground out to end the inning and preserve the Mason lead, 3-2.

Williams came on in relief in the eighth and threw two strong innings, giving up just a hit in the eighth and setting down the Huskies in order in the ninth for the save and Mason win.

Esposito finished the day 3-for-4 with an RBI, while Montefusco went 2-for-3 with an RBI at the plate. On the mound, Montefusco threw 7.0 innings, scattering six hits and allowing two runs (one earned) with a walk and four strikeouts.

Treff recorded the lone RBI for the Huskies with a 1-for-4 performance at the plate. Rob Fonseca was the only other NU player with a multi-hit performance, going 2-for-4. Berger threw all 8.0 innings, allowing three runs on eight hits with three walks and six strikeouts.

The Patriots will look to take the series tomorrow, as Jake Kalish takes to the mound for a 1:00 p.m. start.