CHICAGO (March 17, 2023) - Rambler softball (4-14) opens A-10 action this weekend with a three-game series at George Mason (13-7). Saturday's slate features a doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m. CT. The weekend will conclude with a single-game set for 11 a.m. CT on Sunday. Live stats can be followed for all three games, while Sunday's matinee will be streamed on ESPN+.
Quick Hits
• Loyola has had a bit of a break in play following the Mustang Classic getting canceled due to weather. A-10 action will open this weekend with a three-game series vs. George Mason. It marks the inaugural season for the Ramblers in the conference.
• Non-conference tournament action wrapped up with four Rambler wins. Loyola defeated Florida Atlantic, Stony Brook, Incarnate Word, and Butler.
• The win against Butler was a 7-0 shutout that went down as Loyola's seventh no-hitter in program history.
Peyton Pepkowski pitched the complete game in the circle and retired a season-high eight batters. The feat earned her A-10 Pitcher of the Week accolades.
• Pepkowski remains atop the A-10 leader boards. She ranks fourth in the league un opponent batting average (.213), innings pitched (50.2), and strikeouts (42). She's third with four wins.
• As a whole, the Rambler pitching staff sits fourth in ERA with a combined 3.62 average.
• At the plate,
Amelia Thomas is hitting a team-leading .333. She has 16 total hits this season, which includes two doubles. Thomas has six RBI, four runs, and three stolen bases.
• Thomas set a team season-high with three RBI against Butler. She used an RBI single and two-RBI double to plate three runners in the 7-0 win.
•
Madison Ebeling is hitting .241, and she leads the Ramblers with nine runs scored. Ebeling ranks eighth in the conference in runs.
• Head coach
Alicia Abbott is in her fourth year at the helm. During her tenure, the Ramblers are 46-82.
Scouting the George Mason Patriots
The Patriots are 13-7 heading into the opening weekend of A-10 action. They picked up a pair of wins this week in a doubleheader vs. Coppin State Wednesday. George Mason outscored CSU, 12-2, which included a 4-0 shutout in the first game. The Patriots are hitting .301 as a squad to lead the A-10. They are also the league leader in doubles (32), ERA (3.03), scoring (5.02 r/g), slugging percentage (.441), stolen bases (66), and triples per game (.45).
Patriots to Watch
• Elyssa DeRosa leads the league at the plate hitting .455. In 55 at-bats, she has 25 hits, including five doubles, three triples, and a homer. DeRosa adds 13 RBI, nine runes, and nine stolen bases through the first 20 games. Her six triples leads the NCAA in the category, while her batting average ranks 28th.
•Haley Taormina is also hitting over .400 at .410. She matches DeRosa's 25 hits, but leads the Patriots with 10 doubles and four home runs. Taormina also leads with 27 RBI and 16 runs scored.
•Aly Rayle has made the most starts in the circle at 10 and holds a 3.02 ERA through 51 innings of work. She has three complete games under her belt and retired a team-leading 57 batters.
•Jordan Tallmas has also been a go two for GMU in the circle. She has seven starts, 10 appearances, and two complete games, but only logged 34 innings. She has 27 strikeouts.
Series History
The Ramblers lead the all-time series 2-0. In 2020, Loyola swept George Mason at a neutral site tournament. The Ramblers beat the Patriots 12-0 in five innings and took a 1-0 win in game two.
