ARLINGTON, Va., April 29 – After two losses to No. 25 Charlotte, the GW baseball team relied on strong hitting to avoid being swept at home for the first time this season. The Colonials registered 13 hits en route to a 9-6 victory over the 49ers Sunday afternoon at Barcroft Park in Arlington, Va.

Junior Charlie Kruer highlighted GW’s victory by going 3-for-3 with two home runs, his 12th and 13th of the season, and five RBIs.

“I was just trying to get a pitch I could handle,” Kruer said of his success with the bat.

Kruer gave GW (17-26-1, 9-9 Atlantic 10) its second lead of the weekend with a three-run drive over left field in the first inning as the Colonials took an early 3-0 edge. A bunt by freshman Curtis Eward in the third inning added another tally to GW’s score.

Scoring was abundant from both sides, including a two-run home run by Charlotte junior Chris Taylor in the fourth inning and a two-RBI single by GW senior Michael Parker half an inning later. Runs scored by the 49ers (34-9, 15-3 A-10) in the seventh and eighth innings kept them in the game, but the Colonials held on to hand Charlotte its third conference loss of the season.

Although the three-game series was a match-up between the A-10’s top two offensive teams, pitching became the highlight Friday and Saturday afternoon, when the 49ers, who entered the series having won 13 of its last 16 games, came away with 10-0 and 3-1 victories, respectively.

Charlotte pitcher Adam Mills, who ranks in the top five in the nation in strikeouts, earned run average and wins, threw a complete-game shutout Friday, walking one batter and giving up one hit to earn his 10th win.

The Colonials faired better Saturday, taking the 49ers to 11 innings in the second game but came up short.

Head coach Steve Mrowka said that Sunday’s win was big psychologically for his team. He said that simply playing good baseball against the conference leaders was his team’s goal.

“With the way we got started (this year), every game from now on is the biggest of the season,” Mrowka said.

The Colonials will travel to the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Va., Tuesday followed by a three-game series against Rhode Island in Kingston, R.I.