FAIRFAX, Va. – Lafayette opened the 2020 softball season with a 10-0 loss vs. host George Mason on Friday afternoon in the opening round of the Patriot Classic.
 
The Leopards will play two more games on Saturday, facing George Mason at 2 p.m. and Radford at 4:30 p.m., and two on Sunday at the GMU Softball Complex.
 
In Friday's season opener, Mason struck for three runs in the first off Lafayette freshman starter Kaili Reitano. The first two came plateward via Adriana Erickson's two-run home run.
 
In the third inning, Lafayette's freshman Julia Romano connected for a one-out double to left center for Lafayette's first hit of the game. George Mason starter Marina Vitalich responded by striking out Reitano and Erin Scott to end the threat.
 
In the bottom half, GMU (2-9) broke open a 4-0 game with six runs on five hits. Ericson plated two more with her second homer of the afternoon, as Mason pulled away for the five-inning final.
 
Reitano allowed four earned on five hits while striking out two and walking six in 2.2 innings. Kinzi Van Wyk replaced her in the third inning, giving up two earned runs on four hits with a pair of walks and a strikeout. Vitalich collected the win.