FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason baseball team split a doubleheader with Georgetown, winning the first game 11-1 before falling in the nightcap 7-3 on Saturday afternoon at Spuhler Field.

Mason (10-16, 2-1 A-10), the visiting team for game one, fell behind in the first game in the bottom of the second inning.  Georgetown senior Jake Kuzbel led off with a single and advanced to second base on a ground out.  After moving to third on a wild pitch, junior Alex Bernauer drove in Kuzbel with a ground out to give the Hoyas a 1-0 lead.

Georgetown (15-12, 0-0 Big East) held the one-run lead until the seventh when Mason tied the score against Hoyas starter Simon Mathews.

Junior Tyler Nelin reached on a throwing error by the third baseman to start the inning.  Junior Trevor Kelly followed with a single to left to put runners on first and second with no outs.  After sophomore Greg Popatak II moved the runners over with a sacrifice bunt, Nelin was able to score from third on an error to tie the score 1-1.

The Patriots sent eight batters to the plate in the top of the eighth and scored four runs on three hits to take the lead for good.

Freshman Jared DiCesare led off with a pinch-hit walk and sophomore Michael Smith singled to put runners on first and second.  After both runners advanced on a fielder's choice, Nelin smashed his sixth home run of the season, a three-run blast over the left-center field fence to give Mason a 4-1 advantage.

With two outs in the ninth, Mason took advantage of three Georgetown errors and sent nine batters to the plate, scoring six more runs for the 11-1 final.  Nelin and Popatak each drove in a run in the inning with RBI singles.  Five of the six runs in the inning were unearned runs.

Senior Tyler Zombro (2-3) turned in a strong outing, allowing one run on four hits over 8.0 innings to win his second straight start.  He struck out five and walked only one.  Zombro hasn't allowed an extra-base hit in his last three starts.  Senior Ryan Galvin tossed one scoreless inning in relief.

Mason scored 11 runs on 11 hits in the game.  Georgetown scored one run on five hits and committed five errors.

Nelin went 3-for-5 with a home run, four RBI and scored three times.  His six home runs are tied for second-most in the Atlantic 10.  Popatak was 2-for-4 with a RBI and a run scored.  Sophomore Jonathan Hansen went 1-for-3 with a RBI and scored a run. 

Smith went 1-for-4 and scored two runs.  He leads the team with 23 runs scored this season.  Junior Frank Sturek and Kelly each finished 2-for-5 with two runs scored.

The top five batters in the Mason lineup went 10-for-23 with five RBI and 10 runs scored.

In the second game, the Hoyas took the lead in the first inning against Mason starter Brian Marconi.  Zach Racusin walked with two outs before Kuzbel hit a two-run homer over the right field fence to put Georgetown in front 2-0.

The Hoyas then sent nine batters to the plate in the second inning and scored three runs on three hits to build a 5-0 lead.  Senior Beau Hall had the big hit, connecting on his third home run of the season, a three-run blast over the left field fence.

The Patriots got on the scoreboard in the home half of the second against Georgetown starter Jack Cushing.  With two outs, sophomore Ryan Tassone singled and sophomore Alejandro Aponte followed with a double to the gap in left-center, with Tassone racing all the way around from first to make it a 5-1 game.

Hoyas senior Eric Garza led off the top of the third with a solo home run to make the score 6-1.  Mason made the call to the bullpen, with senior Brock Hunter taking over on the mound in the third.

In the bottom of the inning Mason once again came through with two outs.  With one out, Sturek singled and went to second on a wild pitch.  After a fly out, Kelly belted his fourth home run of the season, a two-run shot to left-center to cut the Hoyas lead in half at 6-3.

Georgetown added a single run in the top of the fifth to earn the 7-3 victory.

The Hoyas scored seven runs on 12 hits and connected for three home runs in the game, while the Patriots scored three runs on 10 hits.

Marconi (3-3) surrendered six runs on seven hits over 2.1 innings and suffered the loss.  Hunter allowed one run on five hits in 4.2 innings of work in relief.  Senior Tyler Kardas threw 1.2 scoreless innings for Mason. 

Smith went 3-for-5 with a single, double and a triple.  He now has at least one hit in eight straight games.  Aponte finished 2-for-4 and drove in a run.  He has at least one hit in four of the last five games.  Kelly was 1-for-4 with a home run and two RBI and now has at least one hit in six of his last seven games.

The Patriots have hit 22 home runs over the first 26 games of the season.  Mason has hit a least one round tripper in nine of the last 13 games.  Nine players have hit at least one home run for the Patriots this season.

The two teams will wrap up the weekend series with the rubber game on Sunday afternoon.  The first pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Spuhler Field.