GREENSBORO, N.C. - The Fairleigh Dickinson softball team (1-3) picked up their first win of the season Saturday when the Knights defeated George Mason in five innings, 12-4. Following the team's first battle against the Patriots, FDU fell again to host North Carolina A&T for the third time this season, 8-7.

Seeing the offense spark for Chris Foye's squad in the early-morning game against George Mason, FDU raced to a 3-2 lead over the Patriots after the first inning fueled by runs scored by Riley De Laval off an RBI double by Cassidy Triska and a two-run homer courtesy of rookie Jess DeWitt which allowed Triska to round home and put the Knights up by one. Megan Berg sacrificed to right field allowing Sabrina Javorsky to score which gave the Knights a two-run lead. Moving to the third frame of game one, the Knights went off for six runs - the team's most of any one inning this season to go up 10-2 on George Mason. DeWitt again was the hero getting the rally started with a single up the middle allowing Triska to round the bases giving the Knights their first run of the frame. With Javorsky at the plate, an RBI double to the outfield was in order allowing DeWitt and Lauren Luna to score. 

Rookie LoriAnne O'Connor contributed to the scoring bonanza as well sending Berg to second and allowing Javorsky to cross home. With the Patriots' defense starting to crumble, a wild pitch set the merry-go-round in motion with O'Connor getting a free base and Berg earning yet another run for the Burgundy and Blue. Payton Wagner earned the win on the bump for the Knights going 4.1 innings of work, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits with two strikeouts and one walk. She was relived by Malori Bell who went two-thirds of an inning allowing no runs on one hit with one strikeout and a walk in three batters faced.

Looking to ride the momentum into game two, FDU sought redemption against the Aggies who took two games yesterday as part of a doubleheader to begin the three-day event. The home side would break the scoreless draw in the bottom half of the second inning but not before FDU would respond with three runs of their own in the top of the third with Andreya Flores popping a single to left allowing O'Connor to score, tightening the deficit. Savannah Thornell also singled for two runs batted in with DeWitt and Triska each crossing the plate.  FDU wouldn't score again until the sixth inning when the rookies would step up yet again with O'Connor hitting for two RBIs allowing O'Connor and Riley Phillips to tack on two more runs for the Burgundy and Blue. NCAT would add on six runs in the bottom half of the sixth which all but sealed the victory for the Aggies. A late inning rally kept the Knights' hopes alive with Hayden Salter hitting for extra bases pushing Luna over home. Down two, FDU relied on fundamental hitting with Thornell hitting a routine sacrifice fly to deep center, crossing DeWitt, though it wouldn't be enough to put the Knights over the top. Alayna Savaglio saw action in her second game this season, a no-decision for the Knights' ace who went five and a third innings, facing 23 batters. Savaglio allowed five runs (four earned) on seven hits, sitting down six and walking one. Julia Swan finished the game for the Knights, pitching two-thirds of an inning allowing three runs (none earned) on one hit.

"Our offense broke out today and it was fun to watch," said Foye. "Although we came up short in the second game we battled on both the offensive and defensive end. This team's confidence is really starting to grow and I look forward to a strong finish to the weekend.

FDU wraps up the Aggie Invitational tomorrow, February 20, with an 11 a.m. matchup against George Mason before returning home to Hackensack.