WHEN: March 6-8
WHERE: George Mason Softball Complex | Fairfax, Va.
OPPONENTS: BUFFALO; 2-7, 0-0 MAC | CANISIUS; 5-8, 0-0 MAAC | CORNELL; 2-3, 0-0 IVY | HOFSTRA; 2-11, 0-0 CAA
TOURNAMENT CENTRAL
LIVE STATS
FAIRFAX, Va. - The George Mason softball team (3-11) will host the Mason Invitational at the Mason Softball Complex from March 6-8. Buffalo, Canisius, Cornell and Hofstra will travel to Fairfax for the three day softball invitational hosted annually by Mason Athletics.
The Patriots are coming off of a 2-2 weekend split in the Patriot Classic.
Mason began the weekend with two impressive wins on Friday and Saturday, both against Lafayette. The Green & Gold defeated the Leopards in five innings in both instances, scoring 20 runs in the 10 innings played.
On Sunday, the Patriots fell to Radford and Delaware to split the weekend.
Freshman Rachel Warrens earned the Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week accolade over the weekend. In her four games played, Warrens went 4-for-10 (.400 BA) with six runs batted in, three runs scored, and two walks for an on base percentage of .600. Her six RBI's came on back-to-back-to-back at-bats in Mason's second game on Saturday, Feb. 29.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
BUFFALO; 2-7, 0-0 MAC
The Bulls have not gotten off to the start that they had hoped, dropping seven of nine in two road tournaments they had participated in. Buffalo has not played since Feb. 16 when the Bulls fell to USC Upstate by a score of 5-6.
Junior Jenna Richmond currently leads the Bulls in runs batted in (4) and on base percentage (.667) and is tied for the team lead with one home run. Freshman Madelyn Hickingbottom leads the Bulls' rotation in appearances (7), wins (2), earned run average (3.87) and strikeouts (27).
Buffalo sits ninth out of the twelve-team pack in the MAC heading into the weekend.
CANISIUS; 5-8, 0-0 MAAC
The Golden Griffins are fourth in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) heading into the Mason Invitational.
Redshirt senior Lauren Castro leads Canisius in batting average (.389), OPS (1.047), total bases (22) and slugging percentage (.611). The utility player led the Golden Griffins with eight homers a season ago and is the program's all-time leader in career home runs (20).
Canisius is currently on a three-game losing streak as they have been outscored by their opponents 46-63 on the year.
CORNELL; 2-3, 0-0 IVY
The Big Red began their 2020 campaign last week in Madeira Beach, Fla., dropping three of their five games over the weekend.
Mason will look to get the bats going early against the Big Red as opponents have batted .350 against the Ivy League school.
Cornell was projected to finish last in the Ivy League 2020 Preseason Poll.
HOFSTRA; 2-11, 0-0 CAA
The Pride have been outhit by their opponents .202-.332 in the first 13 contests in 2020. Hofstra currently sits in last in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) as the Pride look to snap a six-game losing streak.
Hofstra and Mason have not played against one another since March 19, 2016. In that game, the Patriots defeated the Pride 9-1 in five innings.
