FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason softball team (7-3) split their Sunday double header with the Holy Cross Crusaders. The Patriots finish their first home stand of the season going 2-1. The Patriots' saw their win streak end at five games, while Holy Cross' snapped a four-game losing skid.

GAME 1: MASON (7-2) vs. HOLY CROSS (2-4)

In Game 1 of the double header, the Patriots scored at least one run in every inning of the game except for the second inning. For pitching, sophomore Jordan Tallman pitched a complete game, allowing only one run on three hits. She also collected her third win of the season. The Patriot defense also committed zero errors in the first game. In the end, the Patriots were able to extend their win streak to five games.

In the first inning, sophomore Jordan Anderson doubled to left center and later advanced to third on a passed ball. Redshirt junior Nicole Bechtel then put the ball in play, where the Holy Cross first baseman could not properly field the ground ball which would have ended the inning. Instead, the ball skipped over the infielder's glove and Anderson was able to reach home, giving the Patriots an early 1-0 lead.

The Crusaders would level the game at the top of the third inning. After Kari Jacobson walked, a string of singles by Olivia Eckelman Anna Brait and eventually sent her home. That would be the only run scored by the Crusaders that morning.

In the bottom of the third inning, Haley Taormina singled to center field. She then stole second and advanced to third because of a Crusader catcher throwing error. Nicole Bechtel once again stepped up to the plate and drove Taormina home with a single to left field, giving the Patriots the 2-1 lead.

Two runs would be scored in the bottom of the fourth inning. Freshman Elyssa DeRosa led off the inning with a triple to left field. In the very next at bat, sophomore Sydney Blackwell singled to right field and sent DeRosa home. Blackwell would then show hard baserunning and be rewarded for it. After stealing second and advancing to third after a Maggie Mrowka ground out, a wild pitch during Rachel Warrens' at bat allowed Sydney Blackwell to score. At the end of the fourth, the Patriots were up 4-1.

In the fifth inning, Haley Taormina drew a walk and stole second. Again for Nicole Bechtel, she was able to capitalize on her teammate being in scoring position. Bechtel hit a single to left field, giving Taormina enough time to round third and slide home.

The final run of the game was scored in the sixth. With the bases loaded and only one out, Haley Taormina grounded out to the pitcher, but it was still a productive out, as Charlotte Montgomery, who was standing on third, was able to score.

GAME 2: MASON (7-3) vs. HOLY CROSS (3-4)

In Game 2 of the game, the Crusaders managed to mount and maintain a lead throughout the game while Patriots would be held scoreless until the sixth inning. The Crusaders scored first in the top of the third. After Jessica Mott singled and later advanced to third by means of a sacrifice bunt and a ground out single. Megan Yurchick singled to center field, giving the Crusaders a 1-0 lead. Holy Cross would score two more times in the fifth inning. Similar to the third inning, Jessica Mott walked and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Anna Brait then doubled to left center, scoring Mott from second. Brait would later score as well after an Ali Sniegocki single.

Holy Cross would score one last run in the top of the sixth. After Kari Jacobson drew a walk. The very next at bat, Jessica Mott hit a deep double to left field, scoring Jacobson all the way from first base. By the time the Patriots were able to get out of the inning, Holy Cross was blanking Mason 4-0.

The Patriots would create a late game rally, however, in the bottom of the sixth inning. Logan Pickford led off with a single, followed by a Taormina double. With Patriots on second and third with nobody out, Nicole Bechtel batted in the Patriots' first run of the game with a ground out to shortstop. Now with Taormina at third and one out, the next batter, Maddy Myers, laid down a sacrifice bunt down the first base line. This gave Haley Taormina a chance to score as the only play that could be made by the Crusaders was for the pitcher to toss it to first base for the second out. With the Crusader lead now cut in half, Elyssa DeRosa kept the inning alive with a triple, along with Sydney Blackwell's walk and steal. Unfortuantely for the Patriots, the Crusaders struck out Maggie Mrowka for the inning's third and final out.  

The Crusader pitching and defense prevented the Patriots from scoring. Holy Cross snapped their four-game losing streak as well as Mason's five-game win streak.

UP NEXT

After this weekend's home stand, the Patriots will be back on the road, but this time they will stay in the Commonwealth. They will play in the Palmer Park Clash in Charlottesville, Va., hosted by Virginia. They will face off against Saint Francis, Fairfield twice, and the 'Hoos. Their first game will be against Saint Francis on Satruday, March 4. First pitch is set for 10 a.m.