March 5, 2005
Box Score
Fairfax, Va.--George Mason University's softball team (3-9) opened up the first day of the Patriot Classic with a 9-1 loss against Cornell (1-1) and the Patriots were then defeated by Syracuse, 12-4, at George Mason Field Saturday afternoon.
In the first game, Cornell scored six of its nine runs in the second inning and after a homerun by Samantha Hare the game was wrapped up in five innings due to the collegiate softball eight-run rule. Emily Grapel (Manasquan, N.J.) started off the third inning for the Patriots and connected on a double to right field and then advanced to third after Katlyn Winter (Mentor, Ohio) lined out to shortstop. Senior shortstop Stacy James (Leesburg, Va.) brought Grapel home for the Patriots' lone run of the contest after hitting a single to centerfield.
Sophomore hurler Megan Farrell (Medford, N.J.) pitched the entire game for the Patriots and gave up nine earned runs off of nine hits, while walking one and striking out four batters. Jenn Meunier was on the mound for Cornell the first four innings and gave up one run off of three hits, while walking one and striking out one batter. Whitney Smith relieved Meunier in the fifth and did not allow any hits, but did walk two Patriots and struck-out one batter.
Mason started the scoring in the second game as the Patriots had a 3-0 lead after the first inning against Syracuse (6-2). Farrell hit a triple to right field, which drove in Winter to put the score at 1-0. Arielle Weinkofsky (Fr.; Dakhurst, N.J.) earned two RBI as she hit a single, which drove in both Miller and Farrell. The Patriots' final run in the contest was in the second inning as freshman Amanda Bach (Chesapeake, Va.) crossed home plate after James reached first on a fielder's choice. The score was tied at four a piece heading into the fifth inning, but the Orange had eight batters cross home plate to end the game with a 12-4 win.
Freshman pitcher Amber Straube (Virginia Beach, Va.) was on the mound all five innings for the Patriots and gave up 12 runs off of 13 hits, while striking out one batter. Alex Austin started the game in the circle for SU, but Erin Downey collected the win as she saw action for 4.1 innings and gave up only one run, walked three Patriots and struck-out 10 batters.
The Patriots will return to action on March 6 at 11 a.m. and again at 1 p.m. in the final day of the Patriot Classic at George Mason Field. Cornell and Syracuse will face-off against one another at 9 a.m. on Sunday.
