FAIRFAX, Va. – With a lightning delay that suspended this afternoon's game for almost two hours, the Patriots and the Hawks only played one game today. The George Mason softball team (25-15, 11-4 A-10) shutout Saint Joseph's (14-20, 5-7 A-10) by the final score of 3-0 at the George Mason Softball Complex. 

MASON BY THE NUMBERS

• Sydney Bales and Haley Taormina led the team in hits, both going two-for-three. Bales led the team in RBI with two, and Taormina had one as well. 

• Aly Rayle earned her 12^th win of the season, along with her ninth complete game win. It is also her third complete game shutout of the season.

• First pitch was at 3:02 p.m., and the lightning delay started at 3:21 p.m. Play resumed at 5:20 p.m., and the game ended at 7:03 p.m.

MASON 3, SAINT JOSEPH'S 0

The game started with both teams quickly going out in order. Mason's Aly Rayle (7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 9 K) started the game with a strikeout and two flyouts, while Saint Joseph's starting pitcher Emily Siler (6.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER 6 BB, 4 K) started with a strikeout, a pop out and a ground out. 

With two outs in the top of the second inning and with a runner on first, the sirens were sounded in the Complex to alert the players and fans to take shelter, as there was a recorded lightning strike in the vicinity of the area. The Patriots pulled out the tarp and the game was temporarily suspended. The game would be suspended for one hour and forty-five minutes. When the tarp was removed and both teams quickly warmed up, play resumed in the top of the second. With Hailey Malito (0-3) up to bat, she lined out to Aly Rayle, which concluded an inning that had started over two hours prior.

The delay did not disrupt the Patriots' composure, as they would jump to score in the bottom of the second inning. After a Rachel Warrens (1-2, 1 R, 1 BB) leadoff double and two walks, the bases were loaded for Sydney Bales (2-3, 1 R, 2 RBI). On a 1-2 count, the junior hit a single through the right side, scoring two Patriots. 

The Hawks were threatening to score in the top of the fourth inning. With runners on second and third with nobody out, Aly Rayle pitched around the jam by striking out the next two batters and forcing a flyout to left to get out of the inning unscathed. Rayle would go on to finish the rest of the game and record a total of 9 strikeouts. She is one shy of recording 150 strikeouts on the season and is currently fourth all-time in strikeouts in a single season at Mason.

The score would remain at 2-0 until the bottom of the fifth inning. After Bales led off with a single, she stole second base during Charlotte Montgomery's (0-3) at bat. She would later advance to third after Marlaina Bozek's (0-2, 1 BB) ground out. Up to bat next was Haley Taormina (2-3, 1 RBI), who, on a 3-1 count, lifted a single over the infield into shallow right, scoring Bales. 

The Patriot defense would stifle the Saint Joseph's offense for the rest of the game, securing the fourth shutout victory of the season.

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