April 24, 2009
The George Mason softball team closes out its 2009 home conference slate this weekend when it welcomes the Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens to Fairfax for a Colonial Athletic Association three-game set, beginning with a 12 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday. Sunday's series finale is set for noon as well.
Admission to all games at George Mason Field is free. On Saturday, the Patriots will welcome back a number of their softball alumnae to enjoy the games, and Sunday's game will feature a pregame ceremony to honor two Mason seniors, Alison Bryan and Meghan Hill.
The Patriots will look to close out their home schedule with a victory, as they enter the weekend with a 14-29 overall mark and 0-15 record in CAA play. Mason, which is in the midst of a nine-game winless streak, most recently dropped three games to UNC Wilmington at home last weekend.
Mason's offense is currently being paced by freshman Alyssa See, as she is batting .324 in the month of April, while classmate Rachael Davies has driven in seven runs in that span as well.
In the circle, Mason will send junior Becky Anderson and freshman Miranda Cranford to battle the Blue Hen bats. Anderson sports a 2.57 ERA and 7-19 record, while Cranford's season record is at 6-7 and she has compiled a 3.30 ERA. Anderson, who leads the conference with 158 innings pitched this season, currently ranks eighth in the CAA in ERA, while Cranford stands 14th in that category.
Delaware enters the weekend series with a 20-16 record and 6-7 mark in conference play, as the Fightin' Blue Hens sit fifth in the conference standings. UD has won its last two games but dropped two of three last weekend in a home series against Towson. Kim Ovittore leads the Blue Hen offense as she is batting .349, while Michelle Grap leads the team with 20 RBIs.
Amanda Stacevicz (9-8) and Anne Marie Pagano (11-7) will get the starts for Delaware, as the pitching duo has compiled ERAs of 3.03 and 3.74, respectively.
Sunday will mark Mason's Senior Day as Bryan and Hill will take the field for the final time at home. Following the weekend, the Patriots will close out the regular season next weekend at James Madison.
