WILMINGTON, N.C. – The George Mason softball team won both of their games in their final day at the UNCW Tournament, beating Providence 9-2 in Game #1, followed by a 1-0 extra inning thriller against UMBC. The Patriots finish the tournament with a winning record of 2-1.

PATRIOT HIGHLIGHTS

• Rachel Warrens and Marlaina Bozek both recorded a two-RBI game in Game #1 against Providence.

• Marlaina Bozek hit the team's first RBI triple this season in Game #1

• Emily Lampela recorded her first-career RBI in the top of the fifth inning in Game #1 

• Charlotte Montgomery recorded her first RBI of the season in the top of the seventh inning in Game #1

• Kylie Wilkerson started her first game of her collegiate career in Game #2 against UMBC, where she tossed a nine-inning complete game shutout

• Elyssa DeRosa drove in the only run scored in Game #2 in the bottom of the ninth inning with an RBI single. DeRosa finished the weekend with a team-leading .429 batting average and two RBI (tied with Marlaina Bozek and Rachel Warrens)

GAME ONE: GEORGE MASON 9, PROVIDENCE 2
The Patriots broke out and scored a season-high nine runs against the Friars in Game #1. After the Friars scored two runs in the bottom of the second, the Patriots scored nine unanswered runs, including a five-run fifth inning.

Marlaina Bozek (2-4, 2B, 3B, 2 R, 2 RBI) started the scoring run for the Patriots in the top of the third inning after hitting a double to left center, scoring Rachel Warrens (2-5, 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI). After Bozek advanced to third on a wilkd pitch, she eventually scored on a passed ball. The final run of the third inning was Elyssa DeRosa's (1-1, RBI) RBI single through the right side that scored Maddy Myers (1-2, 2B, R, RBI), which gave the Patriots a 3-2 lead.

The game was broken wide open in the fifth inning, when the Patriots scored five runs to extend the lead to 8-2. It started with a Marlaina Bozek RBI triple, scoring Kamryn Inman (0-4, R, BB, SB). Then, Emily Lampela (1-3, R, 2B, RBI) scored her first career RBI off a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Maddy Myers. Rachel Warrens capped off the inning with a two-RBI double when the bases were loaded. At the end of the inning, the Patriots were up 8-2.

Charlotte Montgomery (1-3, RBI, BB, SB) added the last run of the game with an RBI single up the middle, who scored Emily Lampela from second.

Carly Cooper (6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 6 K) earned her second win of the season, striking out a season-high six batters. Harlowe Nigh (1.0 IP, 1 K) closed out the game by pitching the seventh inning, recording her only strikeout for the last out of the game.

GAME TWO: GEORGE MASON 1, UMBC 0 (9 innings)
The final game was a pitchers' duel that needed extra innings to decide the outcome of the game. UMBC's Jerzie Nutile pitched 8.2 innings, while Mason's Kylie Wilkerson (9.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 3 K) made her first start and finished with a complete game shutout.

The only run was scored in the bottom of the ninth inning. Since it was extra innings, Kamryn Inman (1-4, R) was immediately put on second base. She moved over to third after Marlaina Bozek (1-4, SB) grounded out to short. Elyssa DeRosa (2-4, RBI) hit an RBI single through the right side, scoring Kamryn Inman.

UP NEXT
Mason's home opener will be next week, 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.