RICHMOND, Va. – The George Mason baseball team completed a three-game sweep over the Spiders with a 4-3 victory on Sunday afternoon at Pitt Field in Richmond, Va.

Mason (21-24, 10-5 A-10) fell behind in the first inning when the Spiders struck first against starter Brian Marconi. 

Richmond sophomore D. J. Lee led off the frame with a single and would eventually score from third on a throwing error by Marconi on a pickoff attempt at first base to put the Spiders in front 1-0.

In the top of the second, the Patriots responded to take the lead against Richmond (14-27, 5-10 A-10) starter Layne Looney.

Sophomore Greg Popatak II, junior Trevor Kelly and sophomore Alejandro Aponte each singled to load the bases with no outs.  After a fielder's choice, sophomore Brady Acker reached on an error by the shortstop, with Kelly scoring from third on the play to tie the game 1-1.

Aponte would race home on a wild pitch to put Mason in front 2-1 and junior Michael Smith drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to make it a 3-1 game.

The Patriots loaded the bases for a second straight inning in the third.  Freshman Logan Driscoll led off with a single, classmate Tyler Nelin reached on a fielding error by the third baseman and Kelly collected a one-out single.  Looney recorded a strikeout and a fly out to wiggle out of the jam without allowing a run.

After collecting two singles in the first, the Spiders didn't have another baserunner against Marconi until the fifth inning, as the Mason lefty retired 12 in a row with four strikeouts. 

With two outs in the bottom of the fifth, R. J. Watters hit his first home run of the season, a solo shot to left-center to make it a one-run game at 3-2.

After hitting his first home run as a Patriot in Saturday's 12-3 win, junior Frank Sturek dialed up the long ball again in the seventh inning on Sunday, a solo blast over the left field fence to pad the Patriots advantage to 4-2. 

The Patriots have hit a home run in three straight contests and have at least one round tripper in 11 of their last 12 games.  Mason has had 12 players hit at least one home run this season.

Senior Tyler Kardas entered the game to pitch the eighth and after a single and a hit batter, Mason made another call to the bullpen to bring in junior Ryan Ricci. 

After the Spiders loaded the bases on a fielding error by the Patriots, Richmond senior Kurtis Brown drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to right, with D. J. Lee just beating Logan Driscoll's throw to the plate, sliding in safely to make it a one-run game again at 4-3.  Ricci ended the threat by getting pinch-hitter Kyle Adams on fly out to end the inning.

The Spiders got the tying run to second base in the bottom of the ninth, but senior Tyler Tobin entered the game and recorded a fly out for the final out of the game to pick up his second save of the series.

The Patriots improved to 7-3 in games decided by a single run.  Mason has a 7-2 record on the road against Atlantic 10 opponents.  The Patriots are now 10-7 overall on the road and have doubled their road win total from last season when they finished 5-18 away from home.

Marconi (5-4) allowed two runs, one earned, on three hits in 7.0 innings to earn the win.  He struck out five and walked three.  Tobin recorded the final out to pick up his third save of the season.

Marconi improved to 2-0 against Richmond.  He earned his first collegiate win against the Spiders on April 30, 2016 when he allowed just four singles over 7.0 innings in a 1-0 Mason victory at Spuhler Field.

Mason starters combined to pitch 21 of the 27 innings against Richmond in the series after tossing 26 of 27 innings last weekend against St. Bonaventure.

Sturek went 2-for-5 with a single and hit his second home run of the season.  Kelly finished 3-for-4 and scored a run, while Smith and Acker each drove in a run.

The Patriots are back in action on Tuesday, May 2 when they travel to face the Tigers at Schuerholz Park in Towson, Md.  The first pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.