Feb. 28, 2006

Box Score

Fairfax, Va.--George Mason University's softball team lost in its home opener by a score of 9-5 to UMBC Tuesday afternoon at George Mason Field. With this loss, the Patriots fall to 0-9 on the year, while UMBC improves to 4-3.

Freshmen Ali Bryan (Midland Park, N.J.), Paige Miller (McLean, Va.) and Ciera Jones (Vienna, Va.) were the first three batters in the line-up and each scored in the first inning for Mason. The bases were loaded and the first two Patriots crossed home plate as a teammate was walked, while Jones scored the third run as freshman Jill Chen (Monroe Township, ) was hit by a pitch.

Down 7-3, the Patriots scored another run in the bottom of the third as freshman Kelsey Mack (Reading, Pa.) reached on a double to rightfield and scored after Chen connected on a single. UMBC responded with two more runs to give the Retrievers a 9-4 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth. Mason freshman Vickie Brill (Pittsford, N.Y.) collected a double in the sixth and a single by Chen drove her home, but that was the last run that was scored for Mason.

The pitching duties were split three ways and Bryan ended up with the loss as she pitched the middle 2.2 innings and gave up two earned runs off of four hits, while walking one and striking out one of the 13 UMBC batters she faced. Freshman Krista Kearns notched the victory for UMBC as she was on the mound for the first three innings and gave up four earned runs off of four hits, while walking five and striking out five Patriots.

The Patriots will return to action March 4-5 at their own Patriot Classic and will first face Mount St. Mary's at 9 a.m. on March 4.