• George Mason splits its midweek doubleheader vs. George Washington and remain in the final spot to play in A-10 Tournament spot.
• Junior Jess Curbeira hit her first career grand slam in game one to propel the Patriots to a 4-1 victory.
• Sophomore Bekah Ansbro picked up the win in game one while striking out seven to increase her team-leading K total to 76.

 
GAME ONE FINAL: Mason 4, GW 1
Winning Pitcher: Bekah Ansbro (7-8) – Losing Pitcher: Sierra Lange (10-6) – Save: Haellie Gordon (2)
 
GAME TWO FINAL: GW 8, Mason 1
Winning Pitcher: Sarah Costlow (10-4) – Losing Pitcher: Haellie Gordon (7-10)
 
FAIRFAX, Va. – George Mason kept pace for the sixth spot in the race for making the A-10 Tournament with a split against rival George Washington. The Patriots took game one 4-1 behind stellar pitching from sophomore Bekah Ansbro and a grand slam from junior Jess Curbeira, and dropped game two 8-1.
 
The grand slam for Curbeira was the first of her career, and the second by a Patriot this season. The hit produced all four Patriots runs in game one and marked the fifth consecutive game with at least one Patriot going deep.
 
Ansbro got the ball in game one and was the winning pitcher in a complete game effort. She struck out seven to mark the second time in her last three starts she whiffed at least that many. In her last 19.2 innings pitched, Ansbro has a 1.07 ERA and has struck out 20 batters. She's been the winning pitcher in four of those five appearances.
 
Freshman Haellie Gordon picked up her second save of the season in game one to tie Ansbro for the team lead. Gordon also got the start in game two and threw a complete game, pushing her season innings total to over 100.
 
"Overall you can never be totally unhappy when you split a doubleheader. Like I've said, it's hard to win two straight and come back to win," head coach Joe Verbanic said. "It wasn't a horribly played ballgame [in game two], they just outhit us. I thought we were a little flat in the second ballgame and when they hit the home run in the first inning I think the air really went out of us."
 
George Washington had a productive inning right off the bat in the top of the first by getting the leadoff runner on and in on a sacrifice-fly. The following innings saw no action on the scoreboard as the Colonial lead remained the same at 1-0 through three full innings.
 
The bats finally broke through in the bottom of the fourth with a five-hit, four-run inning. All four runs scored on a one-out grand slam by Curbeira over the right field fence. The grand slam was the second by a Patriot this season, with Wednesday's putting the team up 4-1.
 
Ansbro tamed the Colonials the rest of the way, including retiring them in order in the top of the sixth. After getting the leadoff hitter to line out in the top of the seventh, Verbanic elected to lift Ansbro after 116 pitches. Gordon entered the game and took care of business to earn her second save of the season and secure a 4-1 Patriots victory.
 
The Colonials declared themselves ahead and in charge early for game two with a three-run home run in the opening inning to go up 3-0. The extended the lead to 4-0 in the top of the second on a fielder's choice RBI.
 
After the early game setback, Gordon settled in nicely and posted three scoreless innings to stifle the GW bats. However, Gordon's counterpart, Sarah Costlow, was impressive as well and kept the Patriots off the scoreboard for five full innings.
 
In the bottom of the sixth, the Patriots strung together three straight infield hits with the third coming off the bat of Erickson. The designated player's infield hit knocked in Mason's first run of the game to cut the GW lead to 5-1.
 
However, the Colonials kept their foot on the gas pedal and tacked on three more runs in the seventh to put the Patriots in an 8-1 deficit entering their last at-bats of game two. Curbeira reached base with a single in the bottom of the seventh, but it was the only production they mustered as GW took the nightcap 8-1. 
 
NEXT ON THE DIAMOND
 
The Patriots head north to play the La Salle Explorers in their next series. The teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 12 p.m. and will conclude with one game at the same time on Sunday.