Feb. 13, 2004

Box Score

Fairfax, VA--George Mason's softball team (0-1) dropped its first game of the season to Miami of Ohio (1-0) in eight innings by a score of 6-3 at the Triangle Classic in Raleigh, NC, earlier this afternoon.

Sophomore Missy Hartman (Manassas, VA) led the Patriots as she was 2-of-5 against the Redhawks, which included a double and a single. Junior Stacy James (Leesburg, VA) hit 1-of-3 and scored a run after junior Kathy Hrycyna (N. Brunswick, NJ) drove her in with a double. Senior Kim Braxton (Lynchburg, VA) scored on an error, while freshman Ashleigh McAfee (Vienna, VA) was 1-of-5 and earned an RBI after driving sophomore Ashley Purcell (Herndon, VA) home. Purcell also scored for the Patriots in the eighth inning.

"We made some really good plays in our first game of the season," said assistant coach Erica Ayers. "We had four newcomers playing for us and they were able to get some experience in this game. We made some mistakes, which we will learn from, and now we are focused on our next opponent."

Hrycyna pitched the first four and 1/3 innings for the Patriots and gave up two runs on five hits, striking out two Redhawks and walking seven. Freshman Megan Farrell (Medford, NJ) came in as the relief pitcher for Mason and held Miami scoreless in her first two and 1/3 innings on the mound, before giving up four runs in the bottom of the eighth. Farrell allowed three hits and one walk, while striking out one.

The Patriots will return to action later this evening as they compete against Coastal Carolina at the Triangle Classic.