FAIRFAX, Va. - The George Mason softball team (14-17, 4-7 A-10) dropped both games of their doubleheader with Massachusetts (12-21, 5-5 A-10).

The Minutewomen took the win in the first game of the day 5-1 before taking the lead late in game two to take the 4-2 win.

Game 1: Massachusetts (11-21) vs. Mason (14-16)
 
UMass took the lead early by scoring three runs in just the first inning. The first batter of the game was hit by a pitch before advancing to second on a wild pitch. The next batter was walked, but both base runners for the Minutewomen advanced home on an RBI single. UMass struck again on the following play of and RBI bunt single. The last run of the inning was scored of a sacrifice fly out to right field.
 
Both teams remained scoreless until the bottom of the third inning where the Patriots scored their lone run of the game. Senior EJ Bankson got on base after being walked in her at bat. A single from senior Taylor Dadig advanced Bankson, putting her in scoring position. Sophomore Marlaina Bozek hit a single to the right side to advance Bankson home.
 
The Minutewomen struck again in the top of the fourth inning, scoring two runs to take the 5-1 advantage. The leadoff batter reached based off an error from the second baseman before advancing to second off a wild pitch. The next batter was walked, but both base runners advanced to second and third off another wild pitch. The first run of the inning was scored on a passed ball. The next batter hit a single down the right field line to bring home the second run of the inning.
 
Mason tried to garner offensive momentum off a walk at Bozek's at-bat but was proved unsuccessful after stranding her at third base.
  
Sophomore Carly Cooper earned the start and the loss in the first game. Cooper pitched her fifth complete game of the season.
 
Game 2: Massachusetts (12-21) vs. Mason (14-17)
 
Both teams remained scoreless through the first three innings before each team scored two runs in their respective parts of the inning.

The lead off batter for the Minutewomen in the top of the fourth inning hit a double out to center field. UMass followed that up with a two-run home run out to left center, increasing the Minutewomen advantage to 2-0.  
 
Bozek led off the bottom of the fourth inning with a single down the left field line to put herself on base. Redshirt sophomore Nicole Bechtel got on base after being walked by the pitcher, but both Bozek and Bechtel advanced one extra base off a wild pitch. A single from junior Haley Taormina out to deep right field advanced both Bozek and Bechtel home.
 
Dayton then stormed back in the bottom of the third inning to score six runs to take the 6-3 lead over Mason. The Flyers scored off of a sacrifice flyout to left field, a single to second base, a single to right field, and three run home run out to left center. All of Dayton's runs were scored with one out left in the inning.
 
UMass added took the one run advantage over the Patriots in the top of the sixth. The Minutewomen, putting runners on base off a walk, a single, and sacrifice bunt, scored their one run off a sacrifice fly out to right field and was called safe at home plate in a closely contested slide.
 
The Minutewomen sealed their fate in the top of the seventh inning off a similar inning to the one they just played, scoring their run off a sacrifice fly out to right field. While the throw was close, it was not in time as the runner was called safe on the slide into home.
  
Graduate student Cheyenne Van Pelt earned the start and the loss in the second game. Van Pelt pitched her second complete game of the season.

UP NEXT
 
The Patriots will close out their conference series at UMass on Monday Apr. 11 with first pitch slated for 12 p.m.