FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason softball team opens conference play this weekend with Massachusetts coming to Fairfax for a doubleheader on Saturday and another game on Sunday.   UMass has yet to face an Atlantic 10 opponent this season as well.

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SOFTBALL vs. Massachusetts

WHEN: Saturday, (DH) 12 p.m. and 2.pm.  Sunday, 12 p.m.
WHERE: George Mason Softball Complex 
RECORDS: George Mason (4-13), UMass (4-10)
SERIES RECORD: Mason trails 2-1

Notes:

Last season, the Patriots split a doubleheader against the Minutewomen in Amherst on the last day of the season.  Mason won the first game 5-0 and fell in the second game 6-5.

The Patriots come into this game after sweeping Princeton on Wednesday this week.  Pitching was key for Mason, as Christina Gabriele and Casey Herring gave up a combined one run and five hits in the two games.

The Patriots won the first game 2-1 and the second game 1-0 after Angela Maioran hit a walk-off single through the left side.

Freshman Brooke Sullivan has been hitting well for Mason, averaging .385 in five starts at catcher.  McKenzie Jones has an impressive .342 batting average after starting 15 games for the Patriots.  Brooke Blankenship has a team-high eight RBI so far this season.

The Minutewomen come to Fairfax on a six-game skid to open Atlantic 10 play this season.  UMass has fallen in its last three games by a combined four runs.  Last season, UMass finished in fourth place in the A-10.

Senior Quianna Diaz-Patterson leads the team with an incredible .500 batting average on 44 at-bats.  Her 22 hits include four homeruns and 11 RBI.  Diaz-Patterson has also scored a team-best 14 runs this season.  Ashton Wince has also been a big part of the Minutewomen offense with a .412 batting average in 12 starts.

Meg Colleran has team-best 3.53 ERA in six games started, including one win and four complete games.  Carolina Raymond has started the other eight games for UMass and has a 4.75 ERA.