May 1, 2004
Box Score Game 1 | Box Score Game 2
HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. - George Mason University's softball team (27-29, 7-7 CAA) fell to Hofstra (25-17, 11-3) by a score of 7-1 in the opening game of a doubleheader and 4-1 in the second contest Saturday afternoon in Hempstead, N.Y. at Hofstra Softball Stadium.
Junior pitcher Callie Osborne threw a one-hitter in the nightcap and allowed only a second-inning RBI double to George Mason senior third baseman Dianna Austin (Fairfax, VA/Robinson), scoring senior first baseman Kim Braxton (Lynchburg, VA/Heritage), who was hit by a pitch. Obsorne struck out six and walked only two and retired the last 11 batters in order to improve to 9-3 on the season. She has now thrown two no-hitters and a one-hitter in league play, as CAA opponents are hitting only .135 against her in five games.
In the opening game, George Mason struck first in the top of the fourth inning as freshman third baseman Megan Farrell (Medford, NJ/Bishop Eustace) hit a two-out RBI double to center field, scoring junior shortstop Stacy James (Leesburg, VA/Loudoun County), who led off with an infield single and stole second. The steal ended a streak of 30 straight games against CAA opponents without a stolen base allowed by Hofstra senior catcher Meaghan Almon, dating back to the 2002 conference tournament.
Junior first baseman Hailey Clark answered back for the Pride in the bottom of the fourth when she hit a 3-2 pitch with two outs over the left field wall, scoring Almon, who drew a one-out walk. The homer was Clark's 13th of the season, the second highest total in school history and just four shy of the school record, set last season by Danielle Stewart. It was also Clark's seventh homer in 14 CAA games this spring.
The Pride then broke the game open with a five-run sixth inning to take control. Sophomore shortstop Laura Sweeney keyed the inning with a bases loaded triple to give the Pride a 6-1 lead. Sophomore second baseman Lisa Wambold added an RBI bunt single to push the lead to 7-1.
Adrienne Clark allowed just the three hits and struck out four to improve to 9-10 on the year, while Wambold was 3-for-4 for at the plate for the Pride. Senior Miranda Fox (Hanover, PA/New Oxford) took the loss for the Patriots to slip to 14-13 on the season.
After Austin's double gave George Mason a 1-0 lead in the nightcap, Hofstra answered back in the bottom half of the second, as sophomore third baseman Tara Ulrich led off with a single and came around to score on a Hailey Clark sacrifice fly.
The Pride then broke the tie in the bottom of the fourth inning, as Adrienne Clark hit an RBI single up the middle to make the score 2-1. Hofstra also added an unearned run with two outs, after a popped-up bunt in the infield was dropped after two George Mason fielders collided, allowing Adrienne Clark to score from third.
Freshman right fielder Ashley Lane then led off the fifth inning for the Pride with a solo homer, her seventh of the season, tying Ulrich for the school record for home runs by a freshman. Farrell took the loss for George Mason, allowing eight hits and three earned runs to slip to 11-11 on the year.
The two teams will be back in action tomorrow as they complete their three-game series with a single game at 11 a.m.
