FAIRFAX, Va. — George Mason (15-16, 4-7 A-10) and Dayton (14-12, 5-6 A-10) faced off in a doubleheader at the GMU Softball Complex on Saturday, March 28 to begin a three-game conference series. The Atlantic 10 teams split the two games. The opening game saw George Mason fall to Dayton with a final score of 2-0, while the Patriots rebounded in the second game to secure a 4-3 victory.

GAME ONE: George Mason vs. Dayton, L 0-2
In the first game, George Mason was limited offensively by three-time Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Week Izzy Kemp. Kemp consistently attacked the strike zone, recording 13 strikeouts and holding the Patriots to just three hits—including two doubles—while preventing them from capitalizing on scoring opportunities. The decisive moment came in the third inning when Dayton's Maura Carmody doubled, driving in two runs, which gave the Flyers a 2-0 lead that they maintained throughout the game. Elyssa DeRosa had a standout performance for the Patriots, recording two doubles and marking a season-high total of two hits. Abbey Lane pitched a complete game, allowing two earned runs on nine hits over seven innings while striking out five and walking four. Despite the loss, Lane showed resilience, limiting Dayton's scoring chances, yielding no runs with runners on base across 5.1 innings.

GAME TWO: George Mason vs. Dayton, W 4-3
In the second game, George Mason opened the scoring with a strong three-run first inning, highlighted by Maddie Lemasters' two-run home run, followed by a sacrifice fly from Kaleigh Friend that brought in another run. The Patriots quickly took a 3-0 lead. Dayton responded in the second inning with two runs but George Mason extended their lead to 4-2 in the fifth inning when Logan Pickford scored on a wild pitch. Although Dayton narrowed the gap to 4-3 in the sixth, the Patriots held on for the win. Bri Lencz pitched a season-high 6.1 innings, allowing three earned runs on ten hits to earn the win. Abbey Lane entered in relief to secure the last two outs without allowing a hit. Lane records her first save of the season.

The series finale against Dayton will take place on Sunday, March 29 at noon at the George Mason Softball Complex.