GAME RESULTS
Game 1 – Saint Louis 3, George Mason 2 (10 innings)
Game 2 – Saint Louis 4, George Mason 3
Saturday, April 29, 2023
Billiken Sports Center
St. Louis, Mo.
 
THE BASICS
Saint Louis vaulted into first place in the Atlantic 10 Conference Saturday afternoon with a pair of walk-off victories, 3-2 in 10 innings and 4-3, over George Mason at the Billiken Sports Center.
 
The Billikens (26-22, 17-4 A-10) nudged ahead of Dayton, which split a doubleheader at Saint Joseph's Saturday, in the league standings. Dayton is 15-4 in league play.
 
SLU set the program record for longest winning streak in the opener and extended it to 11 games in the nightcap. The Bills are tied with Cal State-Fullerton for the sixth-longest current winning streak in NCAA Division I softball.
 
In addition, Saint Louis' 10 consecutive conference wins equal the school mark.
 
GAME 1 – HOW IT HAPPENED
•Saint Louis grabbed a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on Natalie Sullivan's fourth home run of the season.
•George Mason tied it in the third.
•In the 10th, Chloe Rhine led off with a single, moved to second on Sullivan's sacrifice, advanced to third on Gabbie Kowalik's single and scored on Abby Mallo's sacrifice fly.
 
GAME 1 – BILLIKEN NOTABLES
•Chloe Wendling collected her 19th victory in the circle and is now in sole possession of second place on Saint Louis' single-season list for wins. Wendling recorded a career-high 11 strikeouts and did not walk a batter.
•Kelsey Etling tripled, Mallo doubled and Cami Newbanks singled.
 
GAME 2 – HOW IT HAPPENED
•George Mason plated an unearned run in the second.
•SLU took a 2-1 lead in the third on Mallo's two-out, two-run single.
•The Patriots regained the upper hand right away by scoring twice in the fourth.
•Rhine belted her fifth homer of the season, a solo shot, in the fifth to make it a 3-3 game.
•Mallo ignited the game-winning rally in the seventh with a two-out single. Etling's walk moved pinch-runner Grace Kmak to second, and pinch-hitter Kendall Johnson followed with a single that brought Kmak around to score.
 
GAME 2 – BILLIKEN NOTABLES
•Kaili Hanner notched her fourth win of the season, all in conference play. Hanner struck out five, walked two and gave just two earned runs.
•Rhine added a single for a two-hit game.
•Sullivan collected two singles.
•Kowalik, Etling and Jocelyn Abbott had a single apiece.
 
UP NEXT
The Billikens and Patriots conclude the series Sunday at noon. It is SLU's 2023 home finale; Kelsey Etling, Kaili Hanner, Gabbie Kowalik, Cami Newbanks and Chloe Wendling will be honored in a Senior Day ceremony following the game.