FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason softball team (16-11, 3-2 A-10) split Saturday's doubleheader with Rhode Island (6-16, 3-2 A-10). The Patriots won Game One 3-0 behind starting pitcher
Aly Rayle's second complete game no-hitter. However, the Patriots would lose in a close 0-1 Game 2, where the only run scored was by an unearned run in the sixth inning.
Both games featured a pitchers' duel. In Game One,
Aly Rayle's (6-3, 2.36 ERA) 11 strikeout performance was rivaled by Rhode Island's nine strikeouts by starter Liz Lynchard (4-5, 4.55 ERA). In Game Two, Patriot starter
Jordan Tallman (4-3, 2.37 ERA) struck out five batters and walked only one compared to Rhode Island's Katie Zaun's (1-6, 4.51 ERA) nine strikeout, one walk complete game shutout.
MASON BY THE NUMBERS
- Graduate pitcher Aly Rayle (6-3, 2.36 ERA) recorded her second complete game no-hitter of the season. In seven innings of work, the Herndon, Va., native struck out 11 batters and allowed zero walks. It came exactly one month since her first complete game no-hitter, where she struck out ten batters in only five innings.
- Senior Rachel Warrens (.287 / .356 / .425) and redshirt junior Nicole Bechtel (.315 / .359 / .452) led the team in hitting, both going 3-for-6 (.500). Warrens was also 3-for-3 in stolen base attempts.
- Senior Haley Taormina (.398 / .436 / .759) had the most RBI on team today, driving in two runs in Game One.
GAME ONE: MASON (16-10, 3-1 A-10) vs. RHODE ISLAND (5-16, 2-2 A-10)
Game One's shutout was dominated by starting pitcher
Aly Rayle's complete game no-hitter (7.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 11 SO). The graduate student threw 96 pitches, allowed zero walks and struck out 11 of the 24 batters faced. Rhode Island catcher Vicki Viaclovsky was the only batter to get on base, as she was hit by pitch by pitch on all three of her at bats.
The Patriot offense scored one run in the first, third and sixth innings.
Haley Taormina (2-3, 2 RBI) drove in the first run of the game in the first inning. After leadoff hitter
Marlaina Bozek (1-2, 1 R, 1 SB, 1 HBP) reached first by being hit by Liz Lynchard's eighth pitch, she stole second base during
Alena Ball's (0-3) at bat. During Taormina's at bat, the third baseman flared a single into shallow left field that allowed Bozek to round third and head for home to score.
Haley Taormina would capitalize again in the third inning. This time, after
Charlotte Montgomery (1-2, 1 R, 1 SB) hit an infield single and stole second during
Marlaina Bozek's at bat, Taormina hit a single to center field, scoing the Patriot center fielder from second and doubling the lead.
The third and final run of the game came in the sixth. Catcher
Nicole Bechtel (1-3, 1 2B) lined a double down the left field line.
Sydney Bales (1 R) would come in to pinch run for Bechtel. Two batters later, during
Rachel Warrens' (2-3, 1 RBI, 2 SB) at bat, the Patriot shortstop hit a single on a 3-0 count down the left field line, scoring Bales.
Aly Rayle and the Patriot defense would close out the rest of the game, sealing a decisive Game One win.
GAME TWO: MASON (16-11, 3-2 A-10) vs. RHODE ISLAND (6-16, 3-2 A-10)
In Game Two, Rhode Island's starting pitcher Katie Zaun (7.0 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 SO) started the game off striking out six Patriots in the first two innings, only allowing one hit in that span. Mason's starter
Jordan Tallman (7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 SO) was also very effective in the circle, striking out five and putting the ball in play for the Patriot defense to create quick outs. Tallman tossed 84 pitches compared to Zaun's 118.
The Patriots' best opportunity to score was in the bottom of the fifth inning, when the bases were loaded with only one out. Unfortunately for the Patriots, Katie Zaun was able to get out of the jam by getting her eighth strikeout of the game for the second out and getting
Alena Ball to fly out to left field.
The only score occurred in the top of the sixth inning. After Ram shortstop Cassie Swenson reached to first on a Patriot fielding error and advanced to second in the next at-bat, right fielder Skyler Rapuano hit a deep single into center, scoring Swenson from second.
The Rams would hang on to record the final six outs of the game to secure a split in today's doubleheader action.
UP NEXT
The Patriots will finish the series with Sunday morning's rubber match. First pitch is now set for 11 a.m.
It can be watched on ESPN+ here.
