Box Score | Box Score (PDF) | Saturday Live Stats

FAIRFAX, Va. - The University of Dayton softball team picked up a much-needed 5-3 win over George Mason Friday afternoon in Atlantic 10 action at GMU Softball Complex. Senior Alysha Isaacson batted in the winning runs with a three-RBI double during the Flyers five-run third inning while junior right-handed pitcher Kayla English tossed the complete-game win in the circle for UD.

Five different batters recorded a hit in the win for the Flyers and UD was perfect in the field as GMU committed one miscue on the day. Junior Natalie Mariano extended her reached-base-safely streak to 19 games with her single up the middle in the third. The loss snapped GMU's six-game winning streak.

Dayton (21-26, 5-8 A-10) batted through the lineup in the third inning as the Flyers tallied five runs in the frame. With bases loaded, Mariano sent a ball straight up the middle to plate senior Jordan Jennings and sophomore Kennedy Haynes for the Flyers first two runs of the contest. Isaacson stepped to the plate in a similar situation, this time with two outs showing, and knocked the ball into center field allowing all three base runners to make it home. The next Flyer batter went down swinging but the damage was done as UD held the 5-0 lead.

George Mason (21-17, 5-6 A-10) rallied in the sixth inning, leading off with a double and two walks to load up the bags. The next Patriot batter was struck out but three subsequent GMU players collected RBI with three straight singles. George Mason struck out in its next at bat and, with two outs, the Patriots returned to the top of the lineup with the bases loaded. The Flyers got the Patriot to fly out, ending the inning and getting UD out of a jam.

Neither team would score in the seventh as Dayton held on for the 5-3 win over George Mason.

English (13-13) collected the win for the Flyers after throwing a complete game in the circle, her 10th of the season. She struck out four batters and walked three while giving up three earned runs on five hits. With her four K's on the day, she now has 421 for her career and is only 15 strikeouts away from setting a new Dayton career record (435).

Anna Blessing (8-6) was charged with the loss for the Patriots. She worked 2.2 innings, striking out one and giving up five earned runs on five hits. Christina Gabriele tossed the final 4.1 innings of shutout ball for George Mason. She struck out four to zero walks and kept the Flyers hitless.

The Flyers and Patriots return to action tomorrow to complete the two-game A-10 tilt. First pitch is set for noon at GMU Softball Stadium.
,