FAIRFAX, Va. – George Mason University's softball team had its six-game win streak snapped Wednesday with back-to-back Revolutionary Rivalry defeats at George Washington.

Strong starts propelled the Colonials (23-19, 6-8 A-10) to 3-0 and 9-5 wins over Mason (16-26, 8-6 A-10) in games that were like night and day in terms of scoring. Despite the losses, the Patriots are still two games ahead of their rivals in the Atlantic 10 Conference standings with both teams now in postseason position.

"[George Washington] is a better team than people give them credit for," Mason head coach Joe Verbanic said. "They played very well and things went their way.

"That is the way this game goes sometimes."

Sophomore Marina Vitalich (10-9) pitched a complete game for the Patriots in the first game, striking out five batters. Freshmen Bekah Ansbro (2-8) and Taylor Mayer split the second game with the starter picking up two strikeouts. Kaitlin Buff (6-4) picked up both wins for the Colonials with 11.0 combined innings and no starts on the day.

Sophomore first baseman Samantha Zaccari was the only Patriot who had multiple hits in the same game, batting 2-3 in game two. Sophomore designated hitter Jess Curbeira and freshman centerfielder Mary-Elizabeth Luttrell both hit home runs in the same game, but that was not enough to cancel GW's consistent productivity from the plate. The Colonials had three players produce multiple RBI in the 9-5 success.

Mason started game one in a promising manner and loaded the bases with no outs in the first inning, prompting a pitching change by George Washington. Buff not only got her team out of the hole but allowed the Patriots to add only one hit to junior Brooke Sullivan's single while Sarah Costlow was still in the circle. It came from freshman catcher Sydnee Wells in the third inning, before which Mason had fallen behind 1-0 on a sacrifice flyout by Paige Kovalsky.

Two extra-base hits in the third inning settled the opening game. First Rochelle Draper led GW off with a home run to center field and then Priscilla Martinez – who scored the opening run – doubled to the same general area for a run by Jenna Cone, 3-0. The Colonials had the opportunity to add to their lead later on but
Vitalich and Mason's defense stranded five GW runners on base in the last three innings to keep the score as it was.

Both teams were with double-digit hits in game two, but the advantage again went to GW, 11-10. After failing to score with loaded bases once again in the opening inning, Mason paid for it dearly in the home half of it. Jenna Cone and Martinez picked up RBI for two quick runs by the Colonials and then Kovalsky hit a two-run home run to top off a four-hit-four-run inning for GW.

Curbeira showed off her power and range with a three-run home run that scored sophomore Erin Calpin and freshman Madison Aker as well to get Mason within a run, 4-3.

A sacrifice flyout by senior left fielder Katherine Marsh in another loaded-bases situation for Mason got the Patriots within one again in the third inning – 5-4. After that Ansbro had a 1-2-3 inning that gave Mason even more momentum going into the second half of the game.

The fourth inning had an immense impact on the outcome of the game. A clean inning by Buff, who had just taken over the circle, and two runs by the Colonials brought GW's lead back to three at 7-4.

Luttrell homered in the fifth inning to make the score 7-5, but that could not spark the momentum that Mason needed and it was again George Washington who had the final say in the game with a triple by Riley Tejcek and a sacrifice bunt by Morgan Rinehart contributing two more runs for the Colonials.     

NEXT ON THE DIAMOND

Mason returns home this weekend to welcome the struggling Bonnies of St. Bonaventure University, who are 1-10 in Atlantic 10 play this season, for a three-game conference series.