April 16, 2008

Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

FAIRFAX, Va. - The George Mason softball team ran its winning streak to three games as it swept its doubleheader against Georgetown, 8-0 and 5-3, in non-conference action Wednesday afternoon at George Mason Field. Mason improved to 15-25, while the Hoyas fell to 18-30.

The day began as a battle of pitching and defense, as neither sophomore Becky Anderson nor Georgetown's Jennifer Connell allowed a run through the first five innings. However, one swing of the bat by sophomore Ashli Breau changed that. With the bases loaded, Breau lined a double to deep right-center field, clearing the bases and putting the Patriots ahead 3-0.

However, Mason was far from done scoring in the inning. An Anderson single to left allowed Breau to score. With the score 4-0, a pair of defensive errors allowed pinch runner Kate Bustin to cross the plate as well. A single by sophomore Shaniqua Steele, who led off the inning with a base hit, scored two more runs and gave Mason a seven-run lead. With junior Kelsey Mack's RBI single to left field, Steele would score for the second time in the inning and leave the score 8-0, inducing a run-rule victory in favor of the Patriots. Anderson, the reigning CAA Pitcher of the Week, picked up the win after tossing six scoreless innings, allowing just three hits.

Steele finished the game 3-for-4 to pace the Mason offense, while Breau's trio of RBIs moved her into second place among all-time Mason RBI producers in a single season.

After a short break, Georgetown quickly made its mark on the scoreboard in the second game, as Samantha Peters homered to left-center field to give the Hoyas an early 1-0 lead. Mason countered in the bottom half when Steele scored on a Hoyas error.

Mason took the lead for good in the bottom of the third, as junior Sarah Martin picked up the first of her three hits in the game, a whirling double down the right field line which ended up in the far corner of the outfield and allowed Bustin to score her second run of the day.

The Patriots' lead grew as large as 4-1 in the game, when Mason posted a two-spot in the fifth inning. Breau's double down the right field line scored sophomore Ciera Jones from first base, and Anderson picked up an RBI with a groundball fielder's choice with the bases loaded.

Anderson came on in relief of junior starter Paige Miller (1-1), who earned her first win of the season as she pitched 4.1 innings, allowing one run on six hits. Anderson earned the second save of her career and first by a Mason pitcher this season.

Georgetown did score two runs, both unearned, in the sixth inning, as a Mason error led to RBI singles by Jillian Webb and Demetria Cipriano. Mason again had an answer though, scoring an insurance run on Martin's second RBI of the day, a single to center field. Martin and Steele both finished 3-for-4 in the nightcap, as did Cipriano to lead the Hoya offense.

The Patriots will look to continue their winning streak this weekend in a pivotal Colonial Athletic Association series at Delaware, set to begin at 12 p.m. Saturday.