May 20, 2004
Fairfax, Va.--George Mason University senior Miranda Fox (Hanover, Pa.) and sophomore outfielder Ashley Purcell (Herndon, Va.) were both named to the Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I Mid-Atlantic Second Team All-Region as announced by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA).
The teams were voted on by NFCA member coaches from each region. The Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-America teams will be announced on Wednesday, May 26, at the opening ceremonies of the Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City, Okla.
Fox made the all-region team as a utility player as she saw action in 54 games, 35 of which were on the mound. She closed out the season second among teammates and fourth in the Colonial Athletic Association with a .359 batting average and fourth in the conference in batters struck out with 111. Fox hurled a Mason school record 211.0 innings during the 2004 campaign, which is also second in the CAA. The Pennsylvania native recorded a conference third-best 14 wins on the year which ties fourth-best in a single season in Patriot history. Fox closed out the season with a 14-16 overall record in the circle and now sits tied for third in Mason's record books with 25 complete games. She also garnered CAA Pitcher of the Week once during the season on Mar. 23.
Purcell played and started 59 games in 2004 and finished the season first among teammates in batting average with .398. She ended her first year with the Patriots with a school record 58 stolen bases from 63 attempts, which set a new standard in the conference record books for a single season and was also earned All-CAA First Team honors. In addition, Purcell ended the regular season atop the CAA in hits with 86 and runs scored with 45. On four different occasions, Purcell was perfect at the plate, including a 4-for-4 showing against UNC Wilmington in the second game of a doubleheader (May 8). In the same contest, Purcell matched season-bests with three RBI, three runs and three stolen bases against the Seahawks.
The Patriots closed out the 2004 season with an overall record of 28-32, with a conference mark of 8-10 to finish fifth among CAA schools.
