SOFTBALL (16-16) (3-5) VS George Washington (17-18) (5-4)

WHEN:  4 p.m. Wednesday, April 13, 2016, 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 13, 2016,

PROMOTIONS: Free George Mason visor (while supplies last)

WHERE: Fairfax,Va. GMU Softball Complex

LIVE STATS: GoMason.com

Fairfax, Va. – George Mason University's softball team will close out a seven-game home stand on Wednesday, when it welcomes cross-town rival George Washington in a Game of the Week doubleheader.

The Patriots won the first game of their weekend series against Dayton in 13 innings courtesy of redshirt freshman third basemen Jess Middleton's walk-off three-run home run before dropping both games of the team's Sunday doubleheader.

In game one, senior pitcher Sarah Kleinfelter held the Flyers to one run and five hits over six innings of work. Freshman pitcher Marina Vitalich threw seven perfect innings in relief and earned the win after Middleton's late game heroics.

Mason and Dayton played two extremely close games Sunday with Dayton taking game one of the day, 1-0 and the Patriots were in line to win game two until the Flyers' bats woke up in the top of the seventh inning. The Flyers went on to score five runs resulting in a 6-2 victory that clinched the series for Dayton.

Starting the game strong is paramount to Mason's overall success this season. The Patriots have used the first inning to really jump on teams, outscoring opponents 35-5 and are 15-1 when leading after four innings.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENT

The Colonials were swept over the weekend by Fordham and after starting the Atlantic 10 season 5-1, now sit at 5-4. After facing Mason for a midweek doubleheader, George Washington will take to the road and head to Kingston, R.I. for a three game set against the Rhode Island Rams. This season, the Colonials have relied on Megan Linn and Paige Kovalsky at the plate. Linn leads the team in batting average with a .396 mark, 30 runs, 44 hits, three homers and a slugging percentage of .631. Kovalsky leads the team with 16 doubles and 22 RBI's although she leads the Colonials in strike-outs with 21. In the circle, the Colonials best pitcher is Sarah Costlow who sports a 2.51 ERA to go along with 10 wins. Costlow has 10 complete games in 117.1 innings of work and opponents are hitting .267 against her.