CHICAGO - Loyola Chicago softball is set for its home opening weekend against George Mason. The Ramblers and Patriots will play a doubleheader Saturday and single-game Sunday. First pitch is 12 p.m. at Loyola Softball Park both days.

Quick Hits
• Loyola split a midweek doubleheader at Bradley Wednesday. The Ramblers battled in extras to take a 4-3 win over the Braves in game two.
• Nat Lesnicki had a two-run double in the seventh to tie the game and force an eighth inning, while Jocelyn Currie forced a fielder's choice situation to plate the winning run. 
• With the split, Loyola enters the weekend at 12-13 overall. The series with the Patriots marks the second weekend of A-10 action where the Ramblers sit at 1-2.
• The Ramblers won the Atlantic 10 opener over the Revolutionaries, 10-0. It marked the fifth shutout by the team this season. Following the win, GW rallied to take the next two and win the series.
• In the win, Loyola exploded for 13 hits. Ava Bieneman and Haley Wallace each went 3-for-4 at the plate.
• Bieneman added three RBI and two runs scored, while Wallace scored three times and brought in two.
• In the series finale, Sydney Barnett hit her sixth home run of the season. She leads the Ramblers by four in the category. It is also the most recorded in the A-10 this year.
• Peyton Pepkowski recorded the shutout win in game one. She has four of Loyola's five shutouts this year.
• Loyola's pitching unit is the third-best in the league with a combined 3.41 ERA. Pepkowski ranks sixth overall in ERA (2.85), while Andie Broniewicz is ninth (3.50).
• Pepkowski is third in the A-10 in both opponent batting average (.214) and strikeouts (66). Twenty of those 66 strikeouts have been looking, ranking second. 
• Head coach Alicia Abbott is in her fifth season at the helm. She has 81 wins with the Ramblers. 

Scouting George Mason
The Patriots enter the weekend at 9-18 overall and 1-2 in A-10 play. They picked up a 12-4 run-rule win over Towson earlier this week. To open A-10 play, the Patriots went 1-2 vs. Dayton. George Mason earned a 6-4 win in the series' second game. As a squad, the Patriots are hitting .224 this season, ranking eighth in the league. The team has a 4.39 ERA, which is fourth behind Loyola.

Rachel Warrens leads the Patriots batting .373. She has 31 total hits, including eight doubles and two triples. Warrens has brought in 13 RBI and scored 16. She is also 14-for-19 on stolen bases. In the circle, Carly Cooper holds a 4.00 ERA over 70 innings of works. She's 4-9 this season with one shutout. Cooper has retired 39 batters.

Justin Walker is in his fourth season as head coach of the Patriots. They're 86-85 under his direction.