• George Mason drops both games of its St. Patrick's Day doubleheader with Jacksonville.
• Senior Brooke Sullivan picks up two hits and swipes her first base of the season throughout the two games.
• Patriots open conference play next weekend against Rhode Island at the George Mason Softball Complex.

 
GAME ONE FINAL: Jacksonville 5, Mason 3
Winning Pitcher: Alyssa Bilodeau (11-4) – Losing Pitcher: Haellie Gordon (5-4)
 
GAME TWO FINAL: Jacksonville 4, Mason 0
Winning Pitcher: Seana Mora (2-6) – Losing Pitcher: Bekah Ansbro (2-6)
 
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville University blanked the George Mason Patriots in the team's St. Patrick's Day doubleheader, winning the first game 5-3 and the second 4-0.
 
Senior Brooke Sullivan had a hit in each game, and stole a base for her first of the season. Sullivan has hit safely in three straight games for her third hitting streak of three or more games this season.
 
RS-junior Liz Seymour notched a base-hit in game one to extend her previous hitting streak to eight games. The eight-game stretch marked her highest hitting streak of the season (since snapped).

"Tough day to end a tough but productive week," head coach Joe Verbanic said. "Pitching continues to be our foundation and is a great place to start. We continue to grow and build in the other areas and will be fine as we progress."
 
In game one, it was the Dolphins that drew first blood in the bottom in the second with two RBI-singles in an inning where they collected three hits. Freshman Haellie Gordon kept JU off the scoreboard for the next two innings, despite having multiple runners on in both innings.
 
Mason's big offensive explosion came in the top of the fourth, beginning with a Sullivan single and stolen base. The Patriots loaded the bases and were at the benefit of keen eyes from Meghan Graham and Hannah Rosenfeld, both of whom drew bases-loaded walks to tie the game at 2-2. Madison Aker drove in a run on a fielder's choice in the next at-bat to put Mason up 3-2 entering the bottom of the fourth.
 
The lead didn't last forever, as Jacksonville sent seven to the plate and notched three RBI hits in the bottom of the fifth - one of which was a two-bagger. Junior Marina Vitalich entered the game in relief and struck out the one batter she faced in the bottom of the fifth to send the game to the sixth with the score favoring the Dolphins 5-3.
 
Both team's bats were relatively quiet the rest of the game, ultimately favoring the Dolphins with them taking the 5-3 game one victory.
 
In game two, the Patriots were on the verge of scoring first with a bases-loaded second inning, but couldn't plate any of the baserunners. Through two and a half innings the game stayed scoreless until Jacksonville broke the ice with two unearned runs to go up 2-0.
 
The Dolphins enjoyed the same good fortune in the bottom of the fifth by registering a single, a walk and two stolen bases to set up a two-run single by Abby Genest to double the score at 4-0.
 
Mason had two runners on with one out in the top of the seventh, resulting in its second best opportunity of game two, but had the attack halted with two-straight 6-3 ground outs to end the game.
 
NEXT ON THE DIAMOND
 
Mason opens Atlantic 10 play with a weekend series against Rhode Island on March 24-25 at the George Mason Softball Complex. The Patriots won all three games against the Rams last season by a combined score of 15-4.