WHEN: February 16-18, 2024
WHERE: Harrisonburg, Va. | Veterans Memorial Park
OPPONENTS:
Fri., Feb. 16 – Lehigh, 4 p.m.; Villanova, 6:30 p.m.
Sat., Feb. 17 – Lehigh, 4 p.m.
Sun., Feb. 18 – Villanova, 1:30 p.m.; James Madison, 4 p.m.

LIVESTATS:
FRIDAY - vs. LEHIGH
FRIDAY - vs. VILLANOVA
SATURDAY - vs. LEHIGH
SUNDAY - vs. VILLANOVA
SUNDAY - vs. JAMES MADISON

AUDIO:
SUNDAY - vs. JAMES MADISON

*NOTE: GAMES WILL NOT BE STREAMED THIS WEEKEND

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HARRISONBURG, Va. – The George Mason softball team will travel down to Harrisonburg to take on James Madison, Lehigh and Villanova at the Weiler Orthodontics Invitational. Hosted by James Madison, the three-day tournament will be played at Veterans Memorial Park. The Patriots will play two games on Friday, one on Saturday and two more on Sunday.

A LOOK AT THE PATRIOTS
Last week, Mason started their season in Spartanburg at the Inaugural Terrier Invite, hosted by Wofford. The Patriots dropped their first four games of the season, with two of the games having been walk-off losses.

On Friday's doubleheader, the Patriots lost their opening game to Eastern Kentucky 5-0. Maddy Myers (.250 / .357 / .250) recorded the first hit of the season and Charlotte Montgomery (.200 / .200 / .300) hit the team's first double. Sophomore pitcher Harlowe Nigh (0-1, 2.80 ERA) made her Patriot debut in the top of the sixth inning, as well as Emily Lampela, who entered as a pinch runner in the bottom of the seventh inning. Later in the day, the Patriots faced off against Robert Morris, where they were walked-off 4-3 in extra innings. Jordan Anderson (.333 / .333 / .444) drove in the team's first runs of the season in the top of the fourth inning on a two-run RBI double.

On Saturday's doubleheader, Mason first played Wofford, where the Terriers scored seven unanswered runs to edge out the Patriots 7-5. Mason played Eastern Kentucky again for their second game of the afternoon, where they were walked-off for the second straight day by the score of 4-3. Logan Pickford (.375 / .444 / .750) hit the team's first home run of the season in the top of the fifth inning. It was also Pickford's first career home run.

Due to the poor weather conditions that arrived in Spartanburg the night prior, the final day of the Terrier Invite was canceled.

PATRIOT STAT LEADERS
BATTING
AVG: .375 (3-for-8) - Logan Pickford
OBP: .444 - Logan Pickford
SLG: .750 - Logan Pickford
R: 2 - Rachel Warrens, Elyssa DeRosa, Kamryn Inman
H: 5 - Rachel Warrens & Elyssa DeRosa
2B: 1 - Rachel Warrens, Jordan Anderson, Charlotte Montgomery, Marlaina Bozek
3B: 1 - Rachel Warrens
HR: 1 - Logan Pickford
RBI: 2 - Jordan Anderson, Logan Pickford, Maddy Myers
SB: 2 - Rachel Warrens, Sydney Bales

PITCHING
ERA: 1.05 - Jordan Anderson 
IP: 11.1 - Carly Cooper
K: 7 - Carly Cooper

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS

JAMES MADISON DUKES (4-1)
James Madison entered the season being picked to finish fifth in the Sun Belt Preseason Poll. Last season was their first year in the conference, where the Dukes finished with a 28-19 overall record and a 13-11 record in conference play.

Sophomore KK Mathis is a key returner for James Madison. The infielder was an All-Sun Belt First Team member, leading the team in batting average (.336), hits (48) and doubles (12). Mathis was also second on the team in home runs with 12.

The Dukes opened their season at the River City Leadoff in Jacksonville, Fla., where they won their first four games with a combined score of 22-5 against Ball State (twice), Jacksonville and North Florida before dropping their final game of the weekend to Southern Miss 3-2.

Sophomore catcher Hella Henzler (.450 / .476 / .500) currently leads the team in batting average and and hits (9), while graduate utility player Reed Butler leads the team in RBI (5) and home runs (1, tied with junior infielder Jasmine Hall).

On the pitching side, Kirsten Fleet (1-0, 0.51 ERA, 1 SV) has seen the most action with 13.2 innings pitched and has the team's lowest ERA. The rookie recorded the Dukes' only save when they faced North Florida. Fleet was also named the Sun Belt Conference's Pitcher of the Week on Tuesday.

The last time Mason faced off against James Madison was last season in a midweek doubleheader in Harrisonburg. The Dukes swept the Patriots, winning the first game 9-5 and winning the second game 5-4 on a KK Mathis walk-off RBI double in the bottom of the eighth inning.

TEAM STAT COMPARISONS: Mason (four games played) | James Madison (five games played)
BATTING
AVG: .224 | .300
OBP: .278 | .409
SLG: .308 | .393
R: 11 | 24
H: 24 | 42
2B: 4 | 7
3B: 1 | 0
HR: 1 | 2
RBI: 8 | 20

PITCHING
ERA: 3.46 | 1.40
K: 18 | 28
R: 20 | 8
ER: 13 | 7
H: 28 | 22
2B: 2 | 2
3B: 2 | 0
HR: 4 | 3

FIELDING
FLD: .930 | .993
PO: 79 | 105
A: 27 | 33
E: 8 | 1
 
LEHIGH MOUNTAIN HAWKS (2-2)
Lehigh was picked to finish second in the Patriot League Preseason Poll. Last season, the Mountain Hawks posted a 40-14 overall record and a 16-2 conference record. They earned the #2 seed in the Patriot League Tournament but were upset by #3 Army West Point in the semifinals.

Three key returners for the Mountain Hawks are graduate students Josie Charles and Emily Cimino and senior Katelyn Young, as they were named to the conference's preseason all-league team.

Utility player Josie Charles was an All-Patriot League First Team member and led the team in batting average (.412). Outfielder Emily Cimino, another All-Patriot League First Team member, started all 54 games and led the team in RBI (46) and doubles (17). Finally, pitcher Katelyn Young was Second Team All-Patriot League, leading the pitching staff in wins (20), shutouts (3) and innings pitched (169.0).

The Mountain Hawks opened their season at the Aggie Classic in College Station, Texas, where they faced Tulsa, Valparaiso (twice) and #24 Texas A&M. They lost their first game to Tulsa 11-2 and Texas A&M 12-4 (5 innings) on Friday before picking up their first two wins against Valparaiso the following day, winning 11-0 in five innings and shutting out the Beacons again 7-0.

Freshman utility player Peyton Sward (.889 / .889 / 1.222) currently has the hottest bat on the team, leading the team in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, hits (8) and total bases (11). Sward is also tied for the team lead in doubles and triples with one. Sophomore utility player Sydney Parlett (.286 / .455 / .429) currently leads Lehigh in RBI with four.

On the pitching side, sophomore Chloe Hess (0-1, 4.85 ERA) has seen the most action with 8.2 innings. Katelyn Young (1-1, 8.58 ERA) and Maria Urban (1-0, 0.00 ERA) each have one win under their belts after beating Valpo twice on Saturday.

This will be Mason's first time playing Lehigh in its program's history.

TEAM STAT COMPARISONS: Mason (four games played) | Lehigh (four games played)
BATTING
AVG: .224 | .379
OBP: .278 | .427
SLG: .308 | .466
R: 11 | 24
H: 24 | 39
2B: 4 | 5
3B: 1 | 2
HR: 1 | 0
RBI: 8 | 22

PITCHING
ERA: 3.46 | 5.78
K: 18 | 12
R: 20 | 23
ER: 13 | 19
H: 28 | 30
2B: 2 | 5
3B: 2 | 1
HR: 4 | 3

FIELDING
FLD: .930 | .929
PO: 79 | 69
A: 27 | 35
E: 8 | 8

VILLANOVA WILDCATS (2-3)
After a 37-22 overall record and a 18-6 conference record, Villanova have been chosen to win the BIG EAST in this year's preseason poll. In last year's conference championship, the #2 Wildcats, who have appeared in the last four straight championships and are one year removed from back-to-back BIG EAST titles, lost to #3 Seton Hall 6-1.

Villanova will return Tess Cites, who was the 2023 BIG EAST Player of the year. Cites led the league in hits (74) and total bases (112). Other key returners for the Wildcats will include 2023 All-BIG EAST First Team member Ava Franz, Second Team pitcher Kat Gallant and first baseman Victoria Sebastian, and two-time All-Conference catcher Ally Jones.

The Wildcats opened their season at the Buzz Classic in Atlanta, Ga., where they faced Georgia Tech (twice), #11 Alabama and Longwood (twice). They lost first two games to Georgia Tech and #11 Alabama 3-2 and 3-0, respectively, before picking up their first win of the season against Longwood with a 5-1 score. They won their next matchup against Georgia Tech 5-2 and ended their weekend dropping a 6-5 game to Longwood.

Sophomore infielder Lilly St. Jean (.455 / .500 / .818) currently leads the team in batting average, on-base percentage, runs scored (3), hits (5) and RBI (4, tied). Redshirt junior utility player Brooklyn Ostrowski (.333 / .333 / 1.000) is the team's heavy hitter, leading the team in slugging percentage and home runs (2).

On the pitching side, senior Caroline Pellicano (1-2, 2.00 ERA) has seen the most action with 14.0 innings, with both of her starts ending in complete games. Kelsey White (1-0, 0.00 ERA) recorded the team's first win of the season, while sophomore Kat Gallant (0-0, 4.20 ERA, 1 SV) recorded the save in the same game..

The only time the Patriots have played the Wildcats have been in tournament settings, with the last time being at the Madeira Beach Spring Invitational in Madeira Beach, Fla., on Feb. 19, 2016. The Patriots beat the Wildcats 3-1.

TEAM STAT COMPARISONS: Mason (four games played) | Villanova (five games played)
BATTING
AVG: .224 | .183
OBP: .278 | .282
SLG: .308 | .366
R: 11 | 17
H: 24 | 24
2B: 4 | 6
3B: 1 | 0
HR: 1 | 6
RBI: 8 | 15

PITCHING
ERA: 3.46 | 2.33
K: 18 | 23
R: 20 | 15
ER: 13 | 11
H: 28 | 32
2B: 2 | 7
3B: 2 | 0
HR: 4 | 1

FIELDING
FLD: .930 | .965
PO: 79 | 99
A: 27 | 40
E: 8 | 5

UP NEXT
After this weekend's tournament, the Patriots will be on the road for a third straight week, this time from Thursday, Feb. 22 to Saturday, Feb. 24. The UNCW Tournament, hosted by the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, will feature games against the Seahawks, Merrimack, Kent State, Providence and UMBC.

Mason's home opener will be March 2-3, when they host Stony Brook in a Saturday doubleheader and Cornell in a Sunday doubleheader. Both doubleheaders will be scheduled for noon and 2:30 p.m. first pitches.