• Patriots make late push in the bottom of the seventh, but fall to UVA 2-1.
• Bekah Ansbro tosses six innings and four strikeouts. She surrendered two earned runs on sacrifice flies.
• Liz Seymour and Jess Curbeira each pick up a double, Seymour now hitting .375 through three games.

 
FINAL: Virginia 2, Mason 0 (PDF Box Score)
Winning Pitcher: Lacy Smith (2-2) – Losing Pitcher: Bekah Ansbro (0-1)
 
Madeira Beach Fla. – George Mason had their first of two meetings against Virginia this season in game three of the Madeira Beach Showcase. The Patriots' bats were kept quiet through six innings before a late rally in the top of the seventh pushed their first run across the plate. However, it turned out to be too little, too late as the Patriots fell to UVA 2-1.

"We're doing okay so far. The pitching has been phenomenal and we've gotten people on base but just haven't been able to bring them home," head coach Joe Verbanic said. "I'm very optimistic about Sunday."
 
RS-junior Liz Seymour recorded one of Mason's two extra base hits Saturday morning. Seymour is now hitting .375 through three games.
 
Mason got the leadoff hitter on base three times in the first six innings, but was either erased or left on base during each occasion. Junior Jess Curbeira led off the seventh with a double and eventually came around to score from a sacrifice fly from freshman Meghan Graham.
 
Virginia struck first with a sacrifice-fly RBI from Lacy Smith in the bottom of the first to take an early 1-0 lead. It would be all the Cavaliers would get in that inning as Ansbro struck out the next batter to send the game to the second down just 1-0.
 
The Patriots had an early opportunity in the top of the third to put a dent in the scoreboard with runners on second and third and two outs. Despite having two runners in scoring position, the Patriots were unable to cash in and left them on base.
 
UVA tacked on another run in the bottom half of the third, again via sacrifice fly. Ansbro limited the damage again by only allowing one runner to score when UVA had two on base at one point.  
 
Ansbro was in an even more difficult situation in the bottom of the fourth, with two runners on base and nobody out. Already down two and needing to keep the deficit there, Ansbro retired the next three batters and ended the inning with her third strikeout of the day.
 
The Patriots' best chance came in the bottom of the seventh when Curbeira hit a leadoff double down the right field line to instantly put a runner in scoring position for the Green and Gold. Miah Wilson followed with a single to advance Curbeira to third giving the Patriots runners on the corners with no outs. Graham drove Curbeira home to cut the score to 2-1, but Virginia kept the second run from crossing the plate, escaping with a 2-1 victory.
 
NEXT ON THE DIAMOND
 
Mason will close out the Madeira Beach Showcase Sunday morning with back-to-back games against Monmouth (9:00 a.m.) and Abilene Christian (11:30 a.m.). Due to the Madeira Beach Showcase staff not having enough staff members, live stats will not occur. Check back for post-game recaps to see final results from tomorrow's games.