WHO: Softball vs La Salle
WHERE: Philadelphia, Pa.
FINAL SCORE: Mason 6, La Salle 4
KEY PLAYERS: Brooke Sullivan, 1-3 2R,1BB, Julia Czarnecki 2-4, 1RBI, 1R, Sarah Kleinfelter, 2-3, 1RBI, Marina Vitalich 1-4, W(13-8) 3.2 IP, 0R, 1BB, 2H, 7K

WHO: Softball vs La Salle
WHERE: Philadelphia, Pa.
FINAL SCORE:  Mason 9, La Salle 6
KEY PLAYERS: Casey Price, 2-5, 1HR, 1RBI, 2R, Jess Middleton 2-5, 2RBI, Samantha Zaccari, 3-4, 2RBI, Marina Vitalich, 2-5, 1HR, 2RBI, 2R, W (14-8), 6IP, 4H, 2ER, 1BB, 7K

Fairfax, Va. – The George Mason University softball team swept their Sunday doubleheader against La Salle, winning the first game 6-4 before winning 9-6 in game two. The Patriots were led at the plate from two unlikely sources, senior pitcher Sarah Kleinfelter and freshman pitcher Marina Vitalich.

Despite trailing La Salle 3-0 after the first inning, Mason answered in the top of the second on an RBI single by senior left-fielder Julia Czarnecki. The Patriots' bats woke up in a big way in the top of the fourth inning and also benefitted from two defensive miscues made by the Explorers. Sophomore catcher Brooke Sullivan led off the inning with a walk, freshman right-fielder Victoria Webster reached on an error and Czarnecki hit an infield single to load the bases.

After a fly-out, Kleinfelter knocked Sullivan home with a single to left-field which chased La Salle's starting pitcher. Kleinfelter had previously singled in the second game of Mason's doubleheader against Mount St. Mary's and singled in yesterday's marathon 12 inning affair.

“My games and times playing softball are numbered,” Kleinfelter said. “It's not just about getting the important conference at-bats, it's about getting this team on a roll to make it to and through the A-10 tournament. I want to win at all costs from here on out and do everything I can.”

Mason would then score on a sophomore shortstop Liz Seymour groundout before scoring twice when redshirt freshman third baseman Jess Middleton reached on an error.

The Patriots scored an insurance run in the sixth thanks to a Middleton RBI single that pushed Seymour home, and Vitalich would shut the door on La Salle in the bottom of the seventh to give the Patriots their first win of the series.

For the second game in a row, La Salle jumped on Mason early, scoring three runs in the bottom of the first inning. The difference between game one and two was that the Patriots were able to plate runs in each of the first four innings. Senior center-fielder Casey Price led off the game with a home run to left-center field, Seymour drove in Webster in the second and Vitalich hit her first collegiate home run in the third.

“Hitting a home run always feels good but this one felt just that much better since it was the first for my collegiate career.” Vitalich said.

The freshman then struck out the side in the bottom of the third, sending two Explorers down swinging while the third La Salle batter was left frozen, looking at a called third strike. With the momentum clearly on their side, the Patriots went to work on busting the game open in the top half of the fourth.

A leadoff single by Price and was followed by a line-out before the senior was able to score on a La Salle error, that allowed Seymour to reach base. After a groundout, Vitalich stepped up to the dish with two outs, looking to help her own cause. The freshman would do just that smacking a single through the left side of the infield scoring Seymour.

Vitalich advanced to second on the throw home trying to get Seymour and would advance again on a wild pitch, putting her on third for freshman first baseman Samantha Zaccari. Zaccari singled down the right-field line giving the Patriots a 6-3 lead.

The three run advantage was short-lived as La Salle hit a two-run homer in the bottom half of the frame. Both teams would then go scoreless in the fifth, before scoring a run apiece in the sixth, as Mason again converted on a Zaccari RBI single.

The Patriots showed no signs of panicking, and would ice the game in the top of the seventh. With two outs and Czarnecki and Kleinfelter already aboard in scoring position, Middleton smacked a two-run double giving the Patriots a 9-6 lead that they would never relinquish.

The Patriots are now 22-20 and 8-8 in Atlantic 10 play after their second consecutive road series victory. The team will return to the diamond Wednesday against the University of Virginia in Charlottesville before facing Atlantic 10 foe Saint Louis for their final home A-10 series of the season.

STAT BREAKDOWN

-Kleinfelter and Vitalich combined to go 6-16 (.375) with 4 runs and 3RBI's in both of Mason's wins on Sunday.

-The Patriots have only scored nine runs one other time this season, when they defeated Canisius March 19 in the Cherry Blossom Classic.

-Mason's 16 runs are the most they've combined to score in an Atlantic 10 conference series this season.

-La Salle combined for 11 errors over the weekend with 10 coming on Sunday.

NEXT ON THE DIAMOND

The Patriots face UVA in a non-conference midweek doubleheader, Wednesday with game one beginning at 3 p.m.