MERION STATION, Pa. - The Saint Joseph's softball team dropped a pair of close contests to George Mason on Saturday afternoon at the SJU Softball Field. The Hawks fell 1-0 in the opener and 3-2 in the nightcap, with the two teams capping their three-game series on Sunday at noon.

In the opener, Saint Joseph's freshman Ashley Ventura pitcher struck out nine in a complete game performance, but a second inning home run by George Mason proved to be the difference.

George Mason's Jess Middleton led off the top of the second with a solo home run to left field to give the Patriots a 1-0 lead.

That run proved to be the difference as Saint Joseph's was limited to three hits.

Ventura fell to 7-6 with the loss after allowing only one run and four hits.

Rookie Raelynn Genovese accounted for two of SJU's hits, while senior Sarah Yoos had the third.

In game two, George Mason (19-17, 6-6 Atlantic 10) opened the scoring in the top of the second as Brooke Sullivan scored from third on a two-out single by Sarah Solano to give the Patriots a 1-0 edge.

The Hawks (15-17-1, 3-7-1 A-10) would answer in the bottom of the sixth as Yoos connected on her sixth home run of the season to tie the game at 1-1.

Lauren Reilly, who came on to run for Brandi Harkness after a single, would advance to third on a double by Genovese and scored the go-ahead run on a passed ball.

The Patriots answered though with two outs and runners at second and third, Liz Seymour singled to right field to put George Mason ahead, 3-2.

Marina Vitalich kept SJU off the board in the bottom of the seventh to earn the complete game win.

In the circle for SJU, Madison Clarke was the hard-luck loser as she fell to 6-5 on the year after allowing one earned run on 10 hits, while striking out four over seven innings.

Yoos went 2-for-2 in the nightcap to lead the Hawks.