April 3, 2009

The George Mason softball team returns home to Fairfax for a pivotal three-game Colonial Athletic Association series, as Mason hosts Drexel for a 12 p.m. doubleheader Saturday. Admission to all softball games at George Mason Field is free.

Mason is coming off a victory in its last outing, a 6-2 win in the nightcap of Wednesday's doubleheader at George Washington. The Patriots, who have marked a 14-20 record and are looking for their first conference victory of the year, after sweeps by Hofstra and Towson the past two weekends. Freshman Morgan Davis leads the Patriot offense, which leads the CAA with 17 home runs, as she is batting .324 with 18 RBIs and four homers.

In the circle, Mason is led by junior Becky Anderson, whose 2.46 ERA ranks seventh among CAA pitchers. She has amassed a 7-13 record and 86 strikeouts, while teammate Miranda Cranford has earned a 6-4 record and 2.74 ERA.

Drexel, which enters the weekend with a 15-11 and 3-3 record, is led on offense by Ashley Botelho, who is batting .438 with seven doubles, five home runs and 25 runs batted in, all team highs. Ellen Boundy is the Dragons' top hurler, as she is 4-1 with a 2.10 ERA.

Mason leads the all-time series, 13-10, but the Dragons took the series last season in Philadelphia, winning two games.

Following the weekend, which concludes on Sunday with a noon start, Mason will hit the road for a trip next weekend to face Georgia State.