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FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason baseball team hit three home runs and recorded 12 hits, while starter Jared Lyons was flawless, to lead the Patriots to 10-7 win over Richmond in the home opener on Saturday afternoon at Spuhler Field in Fairfax, Va.
 
Mason (1-2) took the lead in the bottom of the second inning against Spiders graduate student starter Colby Wyatt.
 
With one out, freshman outfielder Thomas Trinca singled, went to second on a ground out, advanced to third on a balk and raced home on a wild pitch to put the Patriots up 1-0.
 
Mason graduate student catcher Kyle Hayes kept the inning going with a walk and senior second baseman Daniel Brooks singled to put runners on first and second.
 
Mason freshman outfielder Jordan Smith came to the plate and belted a three-run home run over the left-center field fence to make it a 4-0 game.  It was Smith's first collegiate home run and first three RBI's.
 
In the home half of the second, senior designated hitter Scott Morgan led off with a double into the gap in right-center and moved to third on a wild pitch.  Graduate student first baseball Ryan Stoudemire then drove in Morgan with a ground out to increase the lead to 5-0.
 
After a single by Trinca and a walk by graduate student third baseman Cooper Mrowka, Hayes delivered a RBI single up the middle, with Trinca crossing the plate to make the score 6-0.
 
The Patriots tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the fifth against Richmond redshirt-freshman Alden Mathes.  Trinca led off the inning with his third single of the game and Mrowka then smashed his first home run with the Green and Gold, a two-run shot over the fence in right-center to expand the Mason advantage to 8-0.
 
The Patriots used the long ball again in the sixth when senior outfielder Cam Reckling led off the inning with a solo home run to left-center to add to the lead at 9-0.  It was his fifth home run in a Mason uniform.
 
While the Patriots offense built the lead, Lyons kept the Spiders in check.  He scattered three singles, struck out seven and allowed just one runner in scoring position over six innings of work.  Lyons threw 72 pitches, 55 for strikes.
 
Richmond sent nine batters to the plate in the seventh inning and took advantage of a fielding error and scored five runs, two earned, on four hits to cut the Patriots lead to 9-5.   
 
The Patriots added an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh.  With two outs, Hayes walked and scrambled to second on a wild pitch.  Brooks then lined a single to right, with Hayes beating the throw to the plate to add to the Mason lead at 10-5.

The Spiders scored a pair of runs in the top of the eighth when senior infielder Justin Cook doubled in a run and freshman catcher Zach Lass knocked in a run with a single to cut the Patriots lead to 10-7.
 
That's as close as the Spiders would get, Mason graduate student Jonathan Kaiser recorded the final two outs in the eighth and retired the side in order in the ninth to pick up a save in his Patriots debut.
 
For the Patriots, Lyons (1-1) allowed just three singles and struck out seven without a walk in 6.0 innings to earn the win.  Senior James Beasley allowed seven runs, four earned, on six hits in 1.1 innings.  Kaiser gave up two hits and notched the save in 1.2 innings of work.
 
For Richmond, Wyatt (1-1) surrendered six earned runs on six hits in 2.2 innings.  Junior Antonio Balducci faced two batters in the third inning and allowed a single and a walk.  Mathes gave up four earned runs on five hits with six strikeouts in 4.1 innings, while freshman Josh Willitts tossed one scoreless for the Spiders.
 
Smith went 2-for-5 with his first home run and first three collegiate RBI's.  Trinca went 3-for-4 and scored three runs.  Brooks finished 2-for-3 with a RBI and run scored, while Morgan and Stoudemire each double in the game.
 
Mason had at least one baserunner in each of the first seven innings.  Eight players in the lineup for the Patriots reached safely at least once in the game.   
 
The Patriots are back in action on Sunday against William & Mary, with the first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m. at Spuhler Field.