FAIRFAX, VA -- George Mason University scored two runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings and held on for a 7-6 Colonial Athletic Association baseball win at Spuhler Field Friday afternoon.

Bryan Hagerich (right) and Danny Overcash each had two hits and a home run for the Hens, while Brad Miller retired nine consecutive batters and struck out four in three innings of scoreless relief. The loss dropped the Hens to 3-8 in one-run games, including an 0-5 mark in conference games. Only three of the Patriots runs were earned.

Delaware took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first. With two on and one out, Hagerich launched his seventh home run of the season up the hill that overlooks the leftfield wall to put the Hens up three.

George Mason came back with a run on Scott Krieger’s CAA-leading 13th round-tripper of the season. The run was the first allowed in 2007 by Blue Hen starter Brent Gaphardt.

The Blue Hens got their first two runners on base again in the the second, but Patriot starter J.J. Pannell struck out Kyle Davis and Ryan Jablonski before getting Brandon Menchaca to ground out to third to end the threat.

Delaware stretched its lead to 4-1 in the top of the fourth when Danny Overcash notched his second hit on an 0-2 count of the day, a home run down the line in leftfield. George Mason scored two unearned runs in the bottom of the inning. After loading the bases with no outs, Jason Bour sent a sacrifice fly to center that made the score 4-2 with runners on the corners and one out. Dan Palumbo’s safety squeeze then brought in Chris Henderson and moved Justin Bour to second. Brent Weiss then singled to center, but Menchaca gunned down Justin Bour at the plate for the third out of the inning.

The Patriots threatened in the fifth, putting runners on second and third with no outs. Krieger’s single up the middle brought home the runners, giving the Patriots their first lead of the day, 5-4.

Mason added two more in the sixth as Jason Bour led off with a single to third base and an error by Jablonski on Palumbo’s bunt put runners on second and third with no outs. With the infield drawn in, Brent Weiss then singled past the diving Adam Tsakonas at first to bring both runners in and chase Gaphardt from the game.

The Hens got one back in the seventh when Menchaca hit his fourth home run of the season off the batter’s eye in center. In the eighth, Ryan Engelhardt’s two-out single brought in Hagerich with a run to cut the lead to 7-6 and marked the end of the day for the Pannell, as the Patriots then called upon closer Jordan Flasher. Flasher struck out Overcash and retired the side in order in the ninth for his fourth save.

Pannell picked up the win for the Patriots, improving to 6-1, while Gaphardt took the loss for the Hens to fall to 2-1.

The Hens and Patriots continue their series on Saturday at 2 p.m.

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