April 6, 2005

Box Score

Baltimore, Md. -George Mason University's softball team (13-18)defeated UMBC (17-17-1) in the first game of the double-header Wednesday afternoon at the UMBC Softball Stadium, 5-1, and were defeated in the second contest by a score of 1-0.

In game one the Patriots took a 1-0 lead in the third as Reanna Gallegos scored on a bunt single by Jenna Cooksey.

The Retriever tied the game in the fourth as Reilly Ward homered over the left field fence, her team-high eighth homerun of the year.

The Patriots responded in the next half inning as a two run homerun by Emily Miller gave GMU a 3-1 lead. The Patriots added two more in the sixth off of RBI singles by Gallegos and Cooksey.

Arielle Weinkofsky captured the win going 7.0 innings and allowing one run on five hits with three walks and three strikeouts.

Jessica Taylor started for UMBC allowing three runs on four hits in 4.1 innings of work. Taylor moves to 3-3 on the season. UMBC junior pitcher Lauren Nicholson finished the final 2.2 innings, allowing two runs, one earned on four hits and adding four more strikeouts to her day total. On the day Nicholson, who last week moved solely into second place all-time in career strikeouts, finished with 15 strikeouts.

Nicholson struck out a single-game career-high 11 batters in the second end of UMBC's non-conference doubleheader with Mason. Nicholson retired nine out of 11 batters at one point with a strikeout as she led the Retrievers to a 1-0 win in game two.

UMBC's career leader in RBI Kristie Pickeral drove in the winning run of the game in the fifth inning as she dropped a single into centerfield, bringing teammate Dana Shepherd home from second base to score the lone run of the game. The RBI marked Pickeral's 27^th of the season and 172^nd for her career.

Nicholson went the distance, going 7.0 innings allowing four hits, no walks and striking out 11 as she earned the win, her eighth on the season to move to 8-10 on the year. Nicholson also moved one win away from tying Crystal Ray for first place on UMBC's all-time wins chart. Nicholson has 37 career wins.

Amber Straube took the loss throwing a strong 6.0 innings allowing one run on six hits with two walks and five strikeouts.

The Patriots will return to action when they face Towson University in Maryland on April 9 for a double-header, which begins at 12 p.m.