3
Winner
George Mason
GMU
16-30
Score By Periods
| Team |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
R |
H |
E |
|
Saint Louis
SLU
|
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
5 |
2 |
|
George Mason
GMU
|
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
7 |
0 |
W: Wilkerson, Kylie (5-7)
L: I. Royle (10-5)
FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason softball team (16-30, 7-13 A-10) walked-off conference opponent Saint Louis (25-17, 13-7 A-10) at the George Mason Softball Complex for the second straight day. The Patriots have won their second consecutive weekend A-10 series and handed the Billikens their first conference series loss of the season.
PATRIOT HIGHLIGHTS
-
Mason took an early lead in the bottom of the second with an Emily Lampela steal, followed by back-to-back Saint Louis fielding errors.
-
Saint Louis took the lead in the top of the third with a two-run RBI single.
-
Patriots tie it with an RBI sacrifice bunt by Sydney Bales in the bottom of the third.
-
Rachel Warrens hit the game-winning RBI in the bottom of the seventh to win the game and take the weekend series.
-
Kylie Wilkerson pitched a complete game and won her fifth game of her rookie season.
-
The Patriot defense recorded their second-straight error-less game of the weekend.
GEORGE MASON 3, SAINT LOUIS 2
Sunday's finale moved fast, as the one hour forty-five minute game found the two schools knotted for most of the game. Strong defensive plays and key pieces of hitting by the Patriots ultimately determined the winner of the rubber match.
The first highlight of the game came at the end of the top of the second inning, where freshman center fielder Emily Lampela (1-3, 2 R, 2B, SB) made a spectacular diving basket catch. With a Billiken runner on second, the rookie center fielder prevented a potential run for Saint Louis.
Lampela followed her defensive gem up in the bottom of the frame with her baserunning. After drawing a walk, the Alexandria, Va., native stole second base, where Saint Louis catcher Kelsey Etling (1-3) committed a throwing error which allowed Lampela to advance to third. Center fielder Cami Newbanks (1-3) collected the ball and threw another erroneous, off-target ball. Lampela, who slid headfirst to third, popped back up and ran home to score.
The early Patriot lead would not last for long, as Billiken first baseman Jane Kaniecki (2-3, 2 RBI, 2 RBI) hit a two-run RBI single through the left side in the top of the third inning. That would be the last hit and score recorded by the Billikens in the game.
After allowing the two-run single, Mason's starting pitcher
Kylie Wilkerson (7.0 IP 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K) only allowed one more hit in the game, which was a Kaniecki double in the sixth inning. The Warrenton, Va., freshman only allowed one walk throughout the whole game as well.
The Patriots would tie the game in the third inning. With
Rachel Warrens (2-3, R, RBI, BB) on second and
Elyssa DeRosa (2-3, 2B) on first,
Sydney Bales (0-1, RBI, BB) laid down a sacrifice bunt that not only moved DeRosa to second, but scored the speedy Warrens all the way from second.
Like Lampela, Bales flashed the leather to end the fifth inning with a diving catch off a Newbanks flair to shallow left.
Saint Louis was threatening to score in the top of the sixth inning, but Mason was able to navigate through the Kaniecki leadoff double. She would be replaced by pinch runner Karsen Jany, who then moved over one base due to a wild pitch. Starting pitcher Wilkerson persevered and got the next three Billikens out via a ground out to third, a lineout to second and a fly out to right field.
The score remained tied into the bottom of the seventh inning. Lampela hit a clutch leadoff double, then
Maya McGowan (1-2, 1 SH) laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Lampela to third. After a Bozek (0-3) walk, Warrens stepped up and hit the game-winning RBI single on a 1-0 count.
UP NEXT
The Patriots will play their final home series next weekend, April 27-28. The weekend series will also feature Senior Day as well as Alumni Day.
Saturday's game will start 1 p.m., one hour later than usual, with the second game starting at 3:30 p.m. Sunday's series finale will be played at its regularly scheduled noon start time.
