GEORGE MASON SOFTBALL (8-18, 1-1 A-10) @ TOWSON (11-14, 3-3 CAA)
WHEN: Tues. March 20 @ 2 p.m.
WHERE: Towson, Md. | Tiger Softball Stadium
HISTORY: Towson leads series 24-13; last played on April 5, 2023 (Mason won 7-1 in Fairfax)

LIVESTATS: CLICK HERE

WATCH: NO STREAMING AVAILABLE FOR WEDNESDAY'S GAME

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TOWSON, Md. – The George Mason softball team (8-18, 1-1, A-10) will play one midweek game, as they will travel to play Towson (11-14, 3-3 CAA) at Tiger Softball Stadium on Wednesday, March 20.
 
A LOOK AT THE PATRIOTS
Mason opened Atlantic 10 Conference play over the weekend at home by hosting Dayton in a three-game series. After splitting Saturday's doubleheader, the Flyers won the Sunday finale, handing the Patriots their first conference series loss.

In Saturday's doubleheader, after battling the Flyers to a close 3-0 loss in Game #1, senior catcher Zoe Vozick (.147 / .216 / .176) led the Patriots in a Game #2 victory with a two-run RBI, which capped off a four-run bottom of the third. Starting pitcher Kylie Wilkerson (3-3, 3.57 ERA) pitched a complete game and struck out a team-high five Flyers in Game #2 to earn her third win on the season. The freshman is now tied with senior Carly Cooper (3-9, 3.98 ERA) with the most wins on the staff.

On Sunday, the Patriots took an early 2-1 lead thanks to an Elyssa DeRosa (.275 / .326 / .275) RBI single and a Marlaina Bozek (.300 / .333 / .375) sacrifice fly, but the Dayton pitching and defense shut down the Patriots the rest of the game and their offense put up two two-run innings to take the game 5-2.

First baseman Maddy Myers (.275 / .326 / .338) hit a single in Sunday's game that just missed being a three-run home run, as it hit the top of the left field wall and bounced back into play. The graduate student from Richmond, Va., currently has 99 career hits and leads the team in RBI with 13.

PATRIOT STAT LEADERS
BATTING
AVG: .363 (29-for-80) - Rachel Warrens
OBP: .402 - Rachel Warrens
SLG: .500 - Rachel Warrens
R: 15 - Rachel Warrens
H: 29 - Rachel Warrens
2B: 7 - Rachel Warrens
3B: 2 - Rachel Warrens
HR: 1 - Sydney Bales, Kamryn Inman, Logan Pickford, Maddy Myers & Emily Lampela
RBI: 13 - Maddy Myers
SB: 11 - Rachel Warrens
BB: 11 - Kamryn Inman

PITCHING
ERA: 3.57 - Kylie Wilkerson (Among starters)
IP: 65.0 - Carly Cooper
K: 35 - Carly Cooper

PATRIOT AWARDS THIS SEASON
Feb. 27 - Kylie Wilkerson (Rookie of the Week)
March 5 - Marlaina Bozek (Player of the Week)

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS

TOWSON TIGERS (11-14, 3-3 CAA)
The Tigers were picked to finish 5th in the Coastal Athletic Association's preseason poll, behind UNCW, Hofstra, Campbell and conference-favorite Delaware. Towson is currently in 7th place with a 3-3 conference record and a 11-14 overall record. They are second in the conference in batting average (.267) and home runs (14) and fifth in ERA (3.26).

The Tigers started their conference season with Hofstra on the weekend of March 8, where they split the three-game series. After playing and winning a non-conference game against Delaware State on March 13, the Tigers went on the road and played Campbell in Buies Creek, N.C., where they won two of three.

Before their Wednesday game with the Patriots, Towson will play at George Washington on March 19.

Senior infielder Cori Jones (.410 / .464 / .639) leads the team in batting average and slugging percentage, while senior shortstop Mackenzie Lake (.329 / .386 / .468) leads in hits with 26 (Jones is just behind with 25). Both Jones and Lake share the team lead in triples as well with one.

Graduate student outfielder Emily Daniel (.327 / .438 / .385) has the most hits and RBI on the team with 17 and 14, respectively. Junior infielder Maddie Kapsimalis (.288 / .424 / .481) also leads the team in RBI with 14.

Senior infielder Ally Hickman (.284 / .314 / .522) leads the Tigers in home runs, having hit five of the team's 14 this year. Sophomore infielder Cara Bohner (.338 / .440 / .563) is the RBI and doubles leader, having recorded 15 and seven, respectively.

On the pitching side, redshirt senior Erin Brown (2-5, 3.34 ERA) is the main pitcher on the Tiger staff, having pitched 52.1 innings, but senior Maddie Gardner (3-7, 3.22 ERA, 1 SV) leads the staff in wins (3) and strikeouts (39). Freshman Amanda Medina (2-0 1.77) has the lowest ERA among the starters.

Rookie reliever Faith McCullough (1-0, 1.17 ERA, 1 SV) was named this week's CAA Co-Rookie of the Week after picking up a win and a save against Campbell. The Rising Sun, Md. native threw 4.1 innings of relief in three appearances for the Tigers without allowing an earned run. She picked up a save against Delaware State last Wednesday and earned her first career win against Campbell scattering four hits in 3.2 innings of relief.

HISTORY WITH THE TIGERS
Mason have matched up with Towson 37 times, with the Tigers having a 24-13 series edge over the Patriots.

The Patriots and Tigers have seen each other in regular season play for three straight seasons starting in 2021. After splitting a doubleheader on March 27, 2021, Mason have won the last two single game matchups. The Patriots won 6-4 on April 13, 2022 in Towson, then again the following season on April 5, 2023, this time in Fairfax

Mason's 2023 win over the Tigers at home also marked the 1000^th win in program history.

TEAM STAT COMPARISONS: Mason (26 games played) | Towson (25 games played)
BATTING
AVG: .236 | .267
OBP: .296 | .339
SLG: .301 | .389
R: 83 | 73
H: 155 | 177
2B: 20 | 35
3B: 4 | 2
HR: 5 | 14
RBI: 68 | 71
BB: 51 | 64

PITCHING
ERA: 3.57 | 3.26
K: 86 | 84
BB: 72 | 68
R: 118 | 111
ER: 88 | 78
H: 203 | 199
2B: 22 | 35
3B: 6 | 4
HR: 16 | 6

FIELDING
FLD: .949 | .954
PO: 516 | 503
A: 190 | 201
E: 38 | 34

UP NEXT
The Patriots will resume A-10 action later this weekend by traveling to Chicago to take on Loyola on March 23-24. Saturday's doubleheader will start at 1 p.m. ET/Noon CT, with the second game starting at 3:30 p.m. ET/2:30 CT. Sunday's finale will begin at 1 p.m. ET/Noon CT as well.