WHO: Softball vs Howard @ Patriot Classic
WHERE: Fairfax, Va.
FINAL SCORE: Mason 4, Howard 0
KEY PLAYERS: Marina Vitalich 7IP, 8k's, 0R,  Liz Seymour- 2-4, 2 R

Fairfax, Va. –  In both the first home game of the season and the opening game of the Patriot Classic, George Mason University's softball team was victorious Friday. In her first ever home start, freshman Marina Vitalich commanded the strike zone and earned eight strike-outs in a complete game, three hit shutout.

On the heels of a quick top half of the first, the Patriots wasted little time getting on the board. Sophomore Liz Seymour singled to center field, and then the shortstop put herself in scoring position by stealing second base. With two outs in the inning, sophomore catcher Brooke Sullivan got an RBI infield single that drove Seymour in from third.

Mason would extend their lead in the bottom of the second inning thanks to a Howard error and timely hitting. Senior designated hitter Breanna Boyd hit a hard grounder to the right side of the infield which the second baseman fumbled as she tried to toss the ball to first. With two on and one out, senior outfielder Sarah Solano followed Boyd and cracked a hard grounder again to the right side of the diamond, driving in freshman first baseman Samantha Zaccari.

Mason would tack on another run when senior outfielder Julia Czarnecki drew a walk with the bases loaded. Despite scoring two runs in the inning, the Patriots would strand three base runners and were unable to break the game open as they would leave nine runners on base in the contest.

The Bison shared the Patriots struggle as they themselves stranded eight runners on base. In the top of the third, Vitalich showed poise as she worked her way out of a bases loaded jam.

While there were other close calls when it came to preventing the Bison from scoring, the Patriots never gave in although the team would record five errors on the afternoon. Mason would produce one more run in the bottom of the sixth when Seymour hit a ball squarely that dipped just below the glove of Howard's centerfielder. This resulted in the sophomore advancing to third and allowed the next batter, senior outfielder Casey Price, an opportunity to knock her in with a hard hit double which made the score, 4-0.

STAT BREAKDOWN

-After going hitless in her first five games of the season, Seymour enjoyed being back in Fairfax and produced her first hit of the season as well as her first multi-hit game of the season.

-Vitalich is now 2-0 on the year and earned a season and career high 8 strikeouts in the win.

-Every Patriot position player reached base against Howard.

-Howard's Janessa Flynn started the game for the Bison and pitched four innings before being relieved by a familiar face, her sister, Alex Flynn who pitched the final two innings of the game for the Bison.

OTHER TOURNAMENT NOTES:

-Martist defeated Army 2-1 in eight innings. With two outs and runners on the corners in the bottom of the eighth, Marist was able to escape and win the game by inducing a groundout to the pitcher in what would be Army's final at bat.

NEXT ON THE FIELD

Tomorrow, the Patriots face Army at 12:15 p.m. and also face Marist at 4:30 p.m.