KINGSTON, R.I. – George Mason University's softball team has been playing the best it has all season and continued getting the results to show for it by winning both games of Saturday's Atlantic 10 doubleheader at Rhode Island.

The 5-2 and 6-1 wins against Rhody (6-26, 3-10 A-10) extended the Patriots' win streak to five games, marking Mason's (15-24, 7-4 A-10) best run of form since April 2014. That run featured two conference wins – those, too against the Rams – while the current streak contains three A-10 victories after the series finale win against defending champion Fordham last Sunday.

Sophomore Marina Vitalich (9-8) and freshman Bekah Ansbro (2-7) pitched complete games in the sweep. The two gave up only one earned run over the course of the day to improve their ERA to 1.64 (season-best) and 3.56, respectively. After starting the season 3-6, Vitalich's win got her above .500 for the first time this season.

Mason used quick starts to take control of each game, scoring combined three runs in the first two innings of the doubleheader. At the same time, Mason did not allow any runs before the fifth inning of either game, by when it already had a comfortable lead on both occasions.

The closest either game ever was when an RBI single by Danielle Gariglio cut Mason's lead to 2-1 in game two. The Patriots responded more than appropriately, by scoring four unanswered runs in the sixth inning to settle the game. Sophomores Jess Middleton and Samantha Zaccari (two RBI) drove three runs in with their loaded-bases singles to make it 5-1. Freshman center fielder Mary-Elizabeth Luttrell finished off the scoring with an RBI single that scored Middleton.

Mason had a five-run lead in the first game as well, going into the bottom of the seventh inning up 5-0. Vitalich struck out consecutive batters to start the inning, but then Ali Summers made contact with full count to draw Mason's only error of the day to score Marylyn Muldowney and Bri Castro for unearned runs that formalized the final score, 5-2.

Sophomore designated hitter Jess Curbeira led Mason with five hits on the day that produced one run while Curbeira herself crossed home plate twice herself. The first baseman Zaccari rebounded from a slow first game at bat and went 3-for-3 in game two to contribute to the huge sixth inning for the Patriots. Mason's sole senior, left fielder Katherine Marsh, and freshman catcher Sydnee Wells also had multiple-hit performances with two apiece in the opening game of the doubleheader. They combined for three RBI in the win.

NEXT ON THE DIAMOND

On Easter Sunday, the Patriots will look to complete their first three-game series sweep since 2015, which came in Kingston as well. The series finale is at noon.