FAIRFAX, Va. - The La Salle University softball team bounced back from a 2-0 loss in game one of its Atlantic 10-opening doubleheader against George Mason with a convincing 9-0 victory over the Patriots on Saturday afternoon. The split of the twinbill moves the Explorers to 10-10 overall and 1-1 in A10 play, with the rubber game of the three-game series scheduled for Sunday, March 26 at 12:00 p.m.

Game Two Recap
After two scoreless innings, La Salle opened the scoring in the top of the third when junior Taylor Rohrbaugh came through with a two-out, run-scoring single that plated junior Angelina Refice.

Senior Michelle Hagarty stepped to the plate facing a new pitching and was promptly hit by a pitch to load the bases for junior Valerie Piniero, who drove home freshman Lauren Morell to make the score, 2-0.

The Explorers tacked on two more runs in the fourth frame, as Mackenzie Obert lofted a sacrifice fly into foul territory down the left-field line to score senior Kristin Martin and Morell legged out an infield hit to drive in Refice and push La Salle in front by a 4-0 margin.

In the fifth, three more runners crossed home plate as the Explorers took a commanding 7-0 lead. The offensive outburst gave more than enough breathing room for the pitching duo of freshman Reilly Gearheart and junior McKenzie Peace, who scattered five hits over six innings to combine for the shutout.

The scoring was concluded in the top of the sixth, when sophomore Emma Schweigert laced a two-run single into center field to bring the eight-run rule into play. Peace worked a scoreless sixth to end the contest an inning early.

Game One Recap
A pitcher's duel between George Mason's Marina Vitalich and sophomore Marlo Roadcap broke out in the first game of the day. The two hurlers held each opposing offense scoreless through the opening five innings, allowing just four hits between the two sides.

La Salle's best scoring opportunities came in the first and fourth innings, as the Explorers put two runners on base in each inning but were unable to come through with a two-out hit. Roadcap was dominant through five innings, with just one base runner advancing past first base.

In the sixth, the home team was able to break through as a two-out triple from Mary-Elizabeth Luttrell broke the scoreless deadlock and plated a pair to give the Patriots a 2-0 lead. A two-out single from Hagarty in the top of the seventh brought the potential tying run to the plate, but Vitalich closed the game with a strikeout to pick up her fourth victory of the season.