Patriot Points
- George Mason set to play in its third Atlantic 10 Tournament in the last four seasons, this time holding the No. 4 seed.
- The first opponent for the Patriots is the Saint Louis Billikens (May 9 at noon). The winner advances to the quarterfinals to face UMass the next day.
- The tournament features the top-six teams from the regular season, and will take two losses for a team to be eliminated.
MATCHUP DETAILS
Game One [A-10 First Round]: Wednesday, May 9 – vs. Saint Louis ("Bahoshy Softball Complex"), 12:00 p.m.
Full Bracket
FAIRFAX, Va. – The 2018 A-10 Tournament bracket is set in stone and sees the No. 4 seed George Mason Softball team (22-26, 12-10 A-10) up against No. 5 Saint Louis in the tournament's opening game on the campus of Fordham University. First pitch between the Patriots and Billikens is set for 12 p.m.
The Patriots and Billikens played a three-game series earlier this season to close out the month of March. In the George Mason victory under the lights, sophomore
Bekah Ansbro was lights out with a complete game victory while only surrendering one run, one walk and one hit in the process – all on just 79 pitches.
Last year's A-10 tournament had the Patriots as the No. 6 seed. After suffering loss number one in the first round, the Green and Gold eliminated Dayton and Saint Louis to make it to day three and get another crack at St. Joseph's. Despite losing to the Hawks on day three, the Patriots finished the tournament in the mix as one of the four remaining teams.
SAVE THE BEST FOR LAST
The regular season concludes with junior
Jess Curbeira leading the team with a .315 batting average and an .850 OPS. Curbeira has found a comfortable spot in the nine-hole, a place she's batted in the last 15 games. In that stretch, the Henrico, Va. native has hit .302/.318/.488, providing some power at the bottom of the lineup. The Patriots are 11-4 in those 15 games.
BEKKKKKKKKAH RACKING UP THE K'S
In her last eight starts, Ansbro has registered 53 strikeouts over 45.1 innings for a K/7 average of 8.18. Having her strikeout ability has allowed her to post a 1.39 ERA in that stretch while compiling a 5-1 record. Ansbro finished the regular season first in A-10 only strikeouts with 83 while checking in fifth in the conference with 113 total whiffs.
HOT STREAK FROM THE HOT CORNER
After struggling to start the season, RS-junior
Jess Middleton has turned it on in conference play by leading the team with a .345 batting average and a 1.017 OPS. Middleton has been instrumental in the team's success to land the 4-seed by ranking in the team's top-three of runs scored, hits, RBI and extra-base hits throughout conference play. Overall, the third baseman managed finished the regular season third on the team in on-base percentage at .363.
PASSING OF THE TORCH
2018 will be senior
Brooke Sullivan's last crack at winning the A-10 Tournament. She finished the regular season by setting career highs in batting average (.292), runs (30), hits (40), doubles (13), home runs (2), RBI (18), slugging percentage (.431) and on-base percentage (.412), with all of those ranking first or second among team leaders with the exception of home runs and RBI. RS-freshman
Adriana Erickson will have her first taste of postseason softball while boasting contributions of a team-leading five home runs and slugging .618 in A-10 play – 12
th in the conference. Both players were a force in the middle of the lineup all season.
A-10 TOP-10
Brooke Sullivan – T-6th in doubles (13);
Brooke Sullivan – 6th in walks (25);
Jess Curbeira – T-10th in doubles (12);
Jess Curbeira – T-10th in extra-base hits (16);
Liz Seymour – T-6th in At-Bats (160);
Haellie Gordon – 9th in wins (11);
Haellie Gordon – 7th in innings pitched (126.0);
Haellie Gordon – T-3
rd in saves (2);
Bekah Ansbro – 6th in innings pitched (129.1);
Bekah Ansbro – 5th in strikeouts (113);
Bekah Ansbro – 4
th in K/7 (6.12);
Bekah Ansbro – 7
th in ERA (2.81);
Bekah Ansbro – 2nd in saves (3).
Individual Leaders
