NEWARK, DE -- George Mason cruised to a 10-3 victory over the University of Delaware baseball team after the Patriots scored 10 runs in the first five innings of play during a Colonial Athletic Association battle at Bob Hannah Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The loss snapped a five-game winning streak for the Hens over the Patriots. Delaware (15-25, 7-13) had beaten Mason during their last four meetings in 2007 and in the series opener yesterday.

Patriot starter Mike Modica shut down the Blue Hen offense, allowing just six hits while striking out nine during the first seven innings of play. Josh Dean accounted for two of Delaware’s hits, while catcher Chris Nehl (at right) added one and picked off two base runners. Ryan Cuneo also extended his hitting streak to 13 games with a single in the second.

Following an early run in the first, George Mason (21-21, 13-8) took control of the game two innings later when the Patriots chased four across the plate in the third. Ryan Soares and Chris Henderson led-off with back-to-back singles before Justin Bour laced an RBI double to center.

Trailing by two, the Hens chose to intentionally walk Scott Krieger to load the bases, but Josh Steinberg made them pay for their decision, lining a two-run double to left center. Three batters later, after the Patriots reloaded the bases, Ryan Uphouse walked to bring in the final run of the frame.

Mason wasted no time padding its lead, scoring another three runs in the top of the fourth. For the second straight inning, an intentional walk came back to hurt the Hens as the team chose to put on Bour after Chris Henderson led-off with a double. With runners on first and second, Krieger and Steinberg notched back-to-back hits, and coupled with a Delaware error, the Patriots moved their lead to 8-0.

One inning and two runs later, the Blue Hens found themselves staring at a double-digit deficit. Trailing by 10, the Delaware offense finally found its way against Modica, putting two runs on the board in the bottom of the fifth. Pat Dameron started the rally with a one-out single, and after Mason got its second out of the inning, Kyle Davis worked a walk before Dean ripped an RBI single to center. A wild pitch eventually brought home Davis to pull the Hens within eight.

In the seventh, Delaware scored the last run of the game when Davis walked, moved to second on a single by Dean, advanced to third on a Mason miscue, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Scott Shockley.

The next inning, the Patriots brought in reliever Shawn Griffith, who dominated during the last two frames. Following a walk to the first batter he faced, Griffith struck out the next three Hens. One inning later, he notched two more strikeouts during a perfect ninth.

Modica (3-4) picked up the win with his efforts, while Brad Miller (2-3), who allowed five runs in 2.1 innings, suffered the loss.

Corey Crispell was effective in relief for the Hens, striking out five while scattering four hits over the last six innings of play.

The two teams will conclude their three-game series tomorrow with a 1 p.m. match-up at Bob Hannah Stadium.

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