April 29, 2007

Box Score

Newark, Del.--Freshman pitcher Becky Anderson allowed only three hits against Delaware to help lead George Mason University's softball team to a 9-0 victory in a Colonial Athletic Association Sunday afternoon at Delaware Field. The Patriots improve to 17-33 overall with the win (3-15 CAA), while the Blue Hens fall to 15-23-2 (6-11).

The Patriots jumped ahead by scoring three unearned runs in the top of the second inning. Junior Kristin Dickel led off the frame with a double to leftcenter, and one out later she advanced to third on a single to left by junior Kat Winter, who had a 3-for-3 showing at the plate. Delaware starter Carolynn Sloat then got Dee Murray to fly out to shallow left, but both runners scored when Blue Hen leftfielder Cecile Egan dropped a fly ball hit by sophomore Meghan Hill. Sophomore Ali Bryan then connected on her first triple of the season, which plated Hill for the third run of the inning.

Sophomore Kelsey Mack, who went 3-for-4 at the plate, led off the top of the third with a double to center. After Anderson singled home Mack, Michelle Kenney replaced Sloat in the circle. Kenney retired the next two Patriots, but Winter then beat out an infield single to score Anderson with the fifth run of the game. After Murray followed with an infield single, both runners came around to score when UD third baseman Michelle Plant fielded a groundball hit by Hill, but threw the ball away at first base.

After singles by junior Mandy Bach and Mack opened the fourth, Samantha Shawn relieved Kenney in the circle for the Blue Hens. Anderson then singled home Bach, and two outs later, Mack scored when Winter beat out an infield single. When Delaware did not score in the fourth or fifth innings, the game ended due to the mercy rule.

Anderson improved to 7-15 in the circle and recorded her second shutout of the season after allowing just three hits and striking out two in five innings of work. Sloat dropped to 9-14 after giving up five runs, two earned, on seven hits in two-plus innings in the circle for the Blue Hens.

The Patriots return to action when they host Drexel on May 5 for a doubleheader, which begins at 12 p.m.