WHO: Softball vs. Rhode Island
WHERE: Fairfax, Va.
FINAL SCORE: Mason 4, Rhode Island 1
KEY PLAYERS: Samantha Zaccari, 2-3, 2R, 1RBI, Jess Middleton, 1-2, 2RBI, 1BB, Sarah Kleinfelter 4.2IP, 5H, 0ER, 1BB, 2K

Fairfax, Va. – The George Mason University softball team defeated Rhode Island, 4-1, to take the opening Atlantic 10 series of the season two games to one.

In a rematch between Rhody's Becca Rogers and Mason's senior Sarah Kleinfelter, Kleinfelter would get the better of Rogers with some help from the Patriot offense.

Mason would once again pounce heavy in the first inning, scoring three runs on four hits, with most of the hitting taking place with two outs. With senior outfielder Casey Price on first, sophomore catcher Brooke Sullivan delivered a single to move Price to second. Freshman first baseman Samantha Zaccari then delivered an RBI single and along with Sullivan, would advance one base each on the throw home.

With runners on second and third, freshman designated hitter Victoria Webster walked before a single by redshirt freshman third baseman Jess Middleton pushed both Sullivan and Zaccari home. After being one hit yesterday by Rogers in game one, Mason needed only part of one inning to figure out the Rhody freshman pitcher this time around.

“We jumped on her right out of the gate,” Sullivan said. “We made solid adjustments and played quality defense; it was a good team win.”

Kleinfelter made quick work of the Rams in the first two innings and even when she was met with some adversity in the third with two runners on, the senior from Warrenton, Va. calmly induced an inning ending groundout.

Sensing possible Rhode Island momentum growing from their two hit inning, Mason went back to work in the bottom half of the third. Zaccari led the inning off with a double, advanced to third on a wild pitch then took home on another wild pitch with two outs in the inning. Zaccari's timely emergence as a source of power in the Patriot lineup will only bolster the Patriots' chances to compete for an A-10 title down the road.

Freshman pitcher Marina Vitalich would enter the game for the Patriots in the top of the fifth inning with one out away after Kleinfelter walked a Ram to give Rhody an opportunity to make up some of the deficit. After an error led to the Rhode Island's first run, Vitalich struck the final batter out swinging to preserve Mason's lead.

Rhode Island would never threaten again as Vitalich earned the save and Mason's first A-10 series victory.

“I thought we played a very good weekend of softball,” Head Coach Joe Verbanic said. “The biggest thing for me was we came back out today and played at a high level.”

STAT BREAKDOWN

-After earning one hit in game one against Rogers, the Patriots combined for 5 hits in the rubber match of the series, two from Zaccari and one apiece from Price, Sullivan and junior second baseman McKenzie Jones.

-Over all three games, Kleinfelter and Vitalich allowed the Rams to score three total runs with only one run being earned.

-Zaccari was the Patriots' best hitter of the weekend going 4-6, with 3 runs and 3RBI's in the final two games of the series, both Mason wins.

NEXT ON THE DIAMOND

The Patriots face Towson away with the first game beginning at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 30 in Mason's final non-conference doubleheader of the regular season.

LOOKING AHEAD

“Towson is always tough, we have a history with them from the [Colonial Athletic Association] and we've always played close ball games,” Verbanic said. “They'll be great competition and prepare us for other conference games we play.”