GREENSBORO, N.C. - The George Mason softball team (1-1) split their first two contests of the 2022 season on Saturday in Greensboro, N.C. at the North Carolina A&T Aggie Invitational.

The Patriots fell to the Knights of Fairleigh Dickinson 12-4 in five innings before bouncing to earn a 9-8 win against the North Carolina A&T Aggies.

Game 1: Mason (0-1) vs. Fairleigh Dickinson (1-2)
In game one, the Patriots started off strong, but were unable to keep pace with their opponent.
 
Mason struck first, scoring two in the top of the first inning off RBIs from junior Rachel Warrens and redshirt sophomore Nicole Bechtel. In the bottom of the inning, the Patriots were unable to hold onto the edge as the Knights scored three off a double and home run out past left center.

Unlucky for the Patriots, Fairleigh Dickinson was able to capitalize off 11 total pitching errors from Mason to score seven runs in just two innings. Graduate transfer Cheyenne Van Pelt made her first start on the mound as a Patriot. Freshman Madi Williams made her first appearance on the mound this season in the Green and Gold.  

Scoreless through three innings, the Green and Gold were able to capitalize off a triple from senior Taylor Dadig and advancing a runner to home off of an error from Fairleigh Dickinson. The two runs scored by Mason in the fifth inning were not enough as the Knights came back scoring two more runs to end the game in five short innings.
 
Game 2: Mason (1-1) vs. North Carolina A&T (4-4)
 
In the second contest, Mason held the lead for the majority of the game, after coming back from a three-run deficit after the first two innings of play.
 
The Patriots were able to tie the game in the third inning off a pitching error, a double from freshman Hayley Shifflett and a single out to the left field from sophomore Sydney Bales.
 
In the fourth inning of play, a single from Dadig advanced sophomore Zoe Vozick home, giving the Patriots a one-run advantage. Mason put up a strong defensive effort holding the Aggies to zero runs over the course of four innings.

The Patriots gave up one run on an RBI single before bouncing back to score four runs in the top of the sixth inning. An error by the Aggies allowed the Patriots to score on an RBI single from Bankson. Another double by Taylor Dadig brought in two more runs, ending in a third run being scored for the Patriots of a sacrificial bunt from sophomore Marlaina Bozek.

Mason, able to hold the Aggies scoreless at the bottom of the sixth, opened the seventh inning strong with a home run from junior Haley Taormina. Holding strong, the Patriots gave up four runs at the bottom of the seventh, but it was not enough for the Aggies to come out on top.
 
Sophomore Carly Cooper started on the mound for the Patriots in the second game of the day and threw every pitch except for the last out. Freshman Alexandra Anderson came in to relieve Cooper, earning the save in her first appearance in the Green and Gold.

UP NEXT
 
The Patriots will face off against Fairleigh Dickinson (11 a.m.) and North Carolina A&T (1:30 p.m.) tomorrow on the second day of the North Carolina A&T Aggie Invitational.