Feb. 13, 2009
Mason vs. Western Carolina Box Score
Mason vs. Villanova Box Score
ORLANDO, Fla. - After a strong season-opening win over Western Carolina, the George Mason softball team was edged by Villanova to earn a split in the first day of competition at the UCF Early Bird Tournament on Friday morning in Orlando, Fla. Mason defeated WCU, 7-1, before falling 6-5 to the Wildcats later in the day.
In the first game against the Catamounts, junior Becky Anderson pitched a complete game to earn the victory, scattering five hits and allowing just one unearned run. Katie King took the loss after allowing the first six runs in four innings of work.
Mason tallied six hits, led by a 2-for-4 debut from freshman Tori Dudley. Kristen Gay led the Catamounts (0-1) with a 3-for-4 game.
After a scoreless first inning, Mason struck first when Dudley doubled and a throwing error allowed her to put the first run of the day on the scoreboard. The Patriots exploded in the third, as three WCU errors and a wild pitch allowed four Mason players to cross the plate. Mason tacked on two more runs in the fifth and sixth, respectively, ending with an RBI double from sophomore Anush Mooradian. Western Carolina ended the shutout bid by scoring on an RBI single from Gay.
Immediately after the conclusion of the first game, the Patriots took on Big East foe Villanova and again had a hot start. Mason scored three runs in the top of the first to take an early lead. After a Villanova run in the bottom of the opening inning on an RBI triple, the teams would trade runs in each of the next three innings.
Mason led 5-2 through four and a half innings, but the Wildcats sliced the deficit to one with two runs in the bottom of the fifth. The Patriots had a chance for an extra run in the sixth, but freshman Alyssa See was called out at home. VU tied the game in the bottom half of the seventh with an RBI single from Christina Botkins, and scored the game-winner on a Shannon O'Brien RBI single to center field with two outs.
Megan Hord earned the victory for Villanova while freshman Brianne Pease (0-1) was saddled with the loss after starting and tossing six and one-third innings, allowing six runs (three earned) on six hits. Anderson and freshman Rachael Davies led the Mason offense in the loss, each going 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs.
Mason is back in action Saturday, facing the host Golden Knights at 11 a.m. before a 5:30 p.m. matchup against Texas-Arlington.
