Fairfax, Va. - The George Mason softball team hosted Howard in a double header Wednesday splitting the games.  Howard ended up winning the season series two games to one.  Mason won the first game of the night 6-2 but Howard used 16 hits to win the second game 8-5.  The eight runs were the most given up by Mason since the first game of the season when they lost 1-9 against USC Upstate.  The offensive output was a good sign as Mason has not scored more than three runs since a 6-0 win over Albany on March 18. 

The Patriots won their first game by a score of 6-2 giving up just four hits and three walks while recording eight hits.  Mason got off to a quick 1-0 lead in the first inning off of a home run by Tori Dudley to left field.  It was her first homer of the year. 

The Patriots added to the lead in the fourth inning when Katie Rynex hit a two out single to right field that scored Tori Dudley from second base.

Howard tied the game in the top of the fifth inning against Stephanie Maher after Cranford was pulled having given up no hits through four innings.  They had three hits in the inning and left with a score of 2-2.     

The tie did not last long as Mason scored two in the bottom of the fifth off of an inside the park home run by Tiffany Webb .  It was the first home run of her collegiate career and it was hit to the right center field wall scoring Samantha Barney who had doubled in previous at bat. 

Two more runs were added for the Patriots in the sixth inning making the score 6-2.  With one out Kaila Conlon singled to right field.  Cranford walked in the next at bat leaving runners on first and second.  Barney followed with her second double and third hit of the game that scored Conlon and Lauren McColgan , who came in to run for Cranford. 

Amanda Buffington came in to finish the game in the seventh inning, pitching for the first time since the beginning of the season.  She allowed one hit and a walk in one inning of work securing Mason's 6-2 victory.

Cranford started the game pitching four innings allowing no hits and just one walk.  She also struck out four batters but didn't record a win because she did not pitch five innings.  Maher picked up the win pitching two innings allowing three hits, two earned runs, and walk while also recording a strikeout.  It was her fifth win of the season.

Barney finished the game 3-for-3 with two doubles, an RBI and a run scored.  Dudley went 1-for-2 with an RBI, two runs scored and was also hit by a pitch.  Webb had one hit in four at bats with a home run, two RBI and a run scored.  Katie Rynex , Emily Laffery and Conlon each all recorded one hit. 

Howard won the second game by the score of 8-5 putting together 16 hits.  They committed 6 errors in this game but Mason was unable to use those misplays to their advantage.  The Bison quickly took a 2-0 lead in the first inning starting the game with four straight singles that did not leave the infield. 

Howard added a run in the fourth and two in the fifth bringing the score to 5-0.  They recorded three hits in the fourth pushing across just one run and had four in the fifth that led to two runs. 

Mason recorded their first hit and first runs in the bottom of the fifth cutting the lead to 5-2.  Mason loaded the bases with an error, a walk and a single before Dudley singled through the left side of the infield scoring Barney from third.  Rachael Davies followed with an RBI walk scoring Webb from third.  Lafferty struck out to end the inning representing the potential go ahead run.  

Mason would again score two runs in the following inning off of three errors committed by Howard.  Conlon was the only one to record a hit and it was a single to lead off the inning but it was all they needed to bring the score up to 4-5. 

Any hope for a comeback was almost all but taken away as the Bison scored three times in the top of the seventh inning making the score 4-8.  They scored off of three hits and a hit by pitch.

The Patriots made things interesting in the bottom of the seventh, however, and had a chance to tie the game.  Davies started the inning reaching on a fielding error by the second baseman.  Lafferty reached on a fielder's choice with Davies out at second.  Conlon followed with a ground out to the pitcher that advanced Lafferty to second and she later advanced to third on a wild pitch.  Rynex drove her home with a single to right field.  A single by Stephanie Strother and a walk by Barney loaded the bases.  Webb, who was the hero in the first game, stepped to the plate representing the tying run but grounded out to the pitcher to end the game.    

Amanda Buffington started the game for the Patriots making it through one inning giving up five hits, and two earned runs while being stamped with the loss.  Kelsey Byrd came in to eat up some innings pitching for five, allowing eight hits, three earned runs and striking out a batter.  Maher finished the last inning allowing three hits, three earned runs, and a walk. 

Howard pitcher, Samantha Gatson, pitched a complete game and did not give up a hit until the fifth inning.  She finished the game giving up five hits, five runs (none earned), and four walks striking out seven Patriots.

McColgan, Dudley, Conlon, Rynex and Strother all finished with singles in the game representing all of Mason's hits.  Davies, Dudley and Rynex recorded one of the three total RBI for Mason.     

The Patriots will play again when they host Hofstra in a weekend conference series.  There will be a doubleheader on Saturday, April 9 and a single game on Sunday.  The first game is scheduled to begin at 12:00 p.m. on both days.