FAIRFAX, Va. – Behind a barrage of clutch hitting in the game's late innings, George Mason University's softball team stormed back and staved off elimination with a 6-5 win over Dayton on Wednesday in the Atlantic 10 Championship.
 
After falling 3-2 to Saint Joseph's in the team's first game of the day, Mason (22-32) rebounded with the victory over the Flyers to continue their run in the double-elimination tournament. Meanwhile, Dayton was upset by a higher seed for the second time - 5-3 against Saint Louis in the tournament opener - and completes its season with a 29-27 record. 
 
The Patriots trailed 3-0 after four innings, but put together three-run frames in the fifth and sixth innings to manufacture their first win against the Flyers this season. Seven of the 11 Patriot hits came in those two innings.
 
"Up and down the lineup the girls stayed in the game and fought for each other, resulting in important defensive plays that prevented more runs by Dayton," Mason pitching assistant Caitlyn de la Haba said after the win. "Overall, everything started to come together. 

Despite pitching in relief in Game one, freshman Bekah Ansbro remained sharp against Dayton, pitching her fourth complete game. Ansbro allowed four earned runs and scattering nine hits.

"It was a long hot day, but we just had to remind ourselves that everyone has to sit through it, not just we," Ansbro said after the win. "It was really nice that my teammates had my back defensively and came up to get us plenty of runs to give us some room to move on defense. I think we fought really hard all day."
 
Offensively, three Mason batters posted at least two hits to pace the Green & Gold. Freshman Sydnee Wells went 3-for-4 and knocked in a pair of runs, while senior Katherine Marsh had a pair of hits and scored two runs from the No. 7 position in the order. Leadoff hitter Mary Luttrell went 2-for-3, scored a run and posted two RBI for the Patriots.

"It's tough to come back from losing that first game [and] knowing that your season could end at any time but the girls really wanted to keep going," de la Haba said.
 
After two and a half scoreless innings, Dayton struck first in the bottom of the third. With runners on first and second and one out, a Mason throwing error allowed the first Flyer run to score. A double, followed by a sacrifice fly, increased Dayton's lead to 3-0 heading into the fourth.
 
After four scoreless innings, the Patriots caught fire in the top of the fifth while batting around and plating a trio of runs. Singles from freshman first baseman Samantha Zaccari and Marsh set up a one-out double from freshman center fielder Mary-Elizabeth Luttrell, who promptly drove in the first run. Junior Brooke Sullivan moved a run home with a well-placed fielder's choice putout, and Wells knocked a clutch bloop single into right field to tie the score at 3-3. From there, Mason loaded the bases again but could not capitalize with two outs.
 
Dayton retook the lead with a run in the fifth, but Mason's offensive explosion would continue into the sixth frame.
 
Marsh singled and freshman shortstop Madison  Aker reached on a throwing error to put runners at first and third with one out. From there, Luttrell brought home Marsh with a sacrifice flyout to tie the score once again. With the outfield in, Sullivan lofted a triple over the center fielder's head to drive in the Patriots fifth run. Shortly after Wells ripped a single through the right side soon after to give Mason the 6-4 edge.
 
Dayton got a run back in the bottom of the sixth and after Mason went scoreless in the seventh, the Flyers stepped up to the plate with a final attempt to stay alive.
 
The fourth-seed team had runners on first and second with one out as Ansbro looked to close out the win. A ground-out at first moved the runners over to second and third with two down. Dayton ripped a hard hit ball up the middle, but Ansbro snared it and threw to first to clinch the victory.
 
Mason stays alive and will play in another elimination game scheduled for 3 p.m. Thursday.
 
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