• Freshman pitcher Patrick Halligan earned the win in his NCAA debut.
• Junior pitcher James Beasley picked up his second save of the season.
• Senior outfielder Brady Acker went 3-for-4 with a walk.

FARMVILLE, Va. – George Mason freshman starter Patrick Halligan tossed five innings to earn the win in his NCAA debut as the Patriots defeated Longwood, 4-3, on Tuesday afternoon at Buddy Bolding Stadium in Farmville, Va.

Mason (4-2) fell behind Longwood (3-5) in the first inning when the first four batters of the game reached base.

Lancers shortstop Antwaun Tucker hit a solo home run on the first pitch by Halligan to put Longwood in front 1-0.

After back-to-back singles, catcher Carlos Garrido drove in a run with a single to right to make the score 2-0.  With one out, third baseman De'Andre Pitts increased the advantage to 3-0 with a sacrifice fly.

Halligan settled down and allowed just one hit and two baserunners over the next four innings.  He retired 15 of 17 batters from the first through fifth inning.

Held without a hit through the first four innings, the Patriots batted around in the top of the fifth.

With one out, outfielder Brady Acker scratched out an infield single, stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch.

With two outs, five straight Mason batters reached base in the inning.

Junior right fielder Logan Driscoll walked to put runners on first and third.  After a Longwood pitching change, senior Greg Popatak II then drove in two runs with a triple to left field to cut the lead to 3-2.

Back-to-back walks to designated hitter Aaron Yurko and senior first baseman Tim Quinn loaded the bases.  Junior catcher Bailey Klein then drew a walk to force in Popatak with the tying run.

In the top of the sixth, senior shortstop Alejandro Aponte led off with a walk and Acker followed with a double to put runners on second and third.  With one out, Driscoll dove in the go-ahead run with a single to center to give the Patriots a 4-3 lead.

Halligan (1-0) allowed three runs on five hits with three strikeouts and no walks over five innings in his first collegiate start.

Mason starters have pitched at least five innings in every game this season.

Three Mason relievers shut down the Lancers, combining to allow just one hit over four scoreless innings.

Sophomore Austin Cabone pitched one scoreless frame, freshman Jared Lyons struck out five of the six batters he faced in two innings of work and James Beasley worked the ninth to pick up his second save of the season.

Longwood starter Nick Fuchs allowed two runs on one hit and struck out six with four walks in a no-decision.  Gage Williams gave up a run on one hit in 0.1 inning and took the loss for the Lancers.

Acker went 3-for-4 with a walk, Driscoll was 1-for-3 with a RBI and run scored and Popatak finished 1-for-5, drove in a run and scored a run.

The Patriots host Princeton for a three-game series beginning Friday, with the first pitch scheduled for 2:30 p.m. at Spuhler Field.