FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason softball team (17-11, 4-2) won their Sunday game against Rhode Island (6-17, 3-3) by the score of 1-0. The Patriots took two of three this weekend and won their second conference series of the season.

MASON'S WEEKEND BY THE NUMBERS

• Mason's pitching dominated in the circle this weekend, striking out 26 Rams in 21 innings of work. They also only walked one batter and allowed zero earned runs.
• Left fielder Elyssa DeRosa hit her seventh triple, which now leads the nation in that category.
• Catcher Nicole Bechtel led Mason in hitting, going 4-for-9 (.444) with two doubles and a triple.
• The Patriots continue their stealing ways, going 9-for-11 on stolen bases this weekend. Senior Rachel Warrens is a perfect 20-for-20 on the season. They now have 87 on the year, just four shy of securing third all-time (90 in 1997) and ten from setting a new school record (96 in 2004 & 1995).

MASON (17-11, 4-2) vs. RHODE ISLAND (6-17, 3-3)
Sunday's game featured a yet another pitchers' duel between Mason's Aly Rayle (7-3, 2.16 ERA) and Rhode Island's duo, Katie Zaun (1-7, 4.38 ERA) and Liz Lynchard (4-5, 4.32 ERA).

Aly Rayle put up another complete game shutout, striking out ten batters and not allowing any walks. The graduate student was pitching a perfect game with two outs in the fifth inning until Rhode Island's catcher Kylie Bulinski broke up the bid with a single through the right side on the first pitch she saw.

The game's lone run came in the bottom of the second inning. Freshman Elyssa DeRosa led the inning by launching her seventh triple of the season to left center. The Corning, N.Y., native now currently leads all of NCAA Division I softball in triples. Later in the inning with one out, the Patriots were able to cash in on DeRosa's leadoff hit, as junior outfielder Sydney Bales made a productive out during her at bat. Bales put the ball in play towards the second baseman, where the only play to be made was at first, safely bringing DeRosa home.

Redshirt junior Nicole Bechtel led off the fourth inning with a triple of her own, which almost left the park. On a 1-0 count, the catcher connected with Katie Zaun's pitch. The ball sailed over the left fielder's glove and was just kept in play, hitting the wall. Rhode Island would then switch out their starter for Liz Lynchard. Unfortuantely for the Patriots, Lynchard was able to contain the inning's early threat, striking out two Patriots and forcing a flyout to end the inning.

The Rhode Island pitching staff also had a strong outing today, only allowing one run on three hits. Both Zaun and Lynchard combined for five strikeouts on the day.

Though the Rams were threatening to tie in the top of the final inning, the Patriots were able to close the game to preserve the shutout and the series win. After Ram second baseman Elena Gonzalez led off with a single up the middle, Aly Rayle struck out the next batter in three pitches. Up next to bat was this week's A-10 Co-Player of the Week, Skyler Rapuano. Gonzalez stole second during the at-bat, Rapuano put the ball in play on the right side of the infield. Junior second baseman Marlaina Bozek made a diving stop, popped to her knees and made the throw in time to first base to get the second out. Not only did Bozek record the second out, but she prevented Gonzalez from rounding third and potentially tying the game.

Aly Rayle recorded the third and final out of the game, striking out perfect game-breaker Kylie Bulinski looking on a full count.

UP NEXT
The Patriots will be on the road for the next five games. They will first play Longwood in Farmville, Va., for a Wednesday doubleheader on March 29, and they will go to the Bronx to play Fordham in a three-game weekend series on April 1-2.