March 24, 2010
Box Score
FAIRFAX, Va. - The George Mason softball team ran into a potent Howard offense on Wednesday afternoon and had no answer for the Lady Bison as they took both games of the non-conference doubleheader, 6-2 and 9-0. The losses drop the Patriots to 7-9 on the season while the Bison improved to 8-11.
Both games saw Howard jump on the early lead, including a first-inning home run by Courtney Young in the day's opening contest. The Lady Bison would lead for the duration of the game, using a three-run second inning which saw a two-run double by Trina Kindred and an unearned run scored on a fielding error. Howard added another run one inning later as Emily Johnson lined an RBI single into right field.
Mason dented the scoreboard in the bottom of the third, as leadoff batter Megan Blank walked and advanced two bases on a sacrifice bunt by Tori Dudley. India Adams hit a grounder to second base which allowed Blank to score.
The Lady Bison completed their game-one scoring with an unearned run in the fourth as Kindred came around to score on a wild pitch. All six runs were charged to Miranda Cranford (3-5), who took the loss in 3.1 innings of work.
Freshman Amanda Buffington came on in relief and tossed 3.2 innings of scoreless softball, allowing just one hit while striking out three. Meanwhile, the Patriots scored their final run of the game in the seventh, an RBI double to center by Rachael Davies, but could get no closer. Emily Johnson improved to 2-0 after pitching the final four innings in relief.
In game two, Howard again had the hot start, scoring multiple runs in each of the first three innings while Mason was limited to just three hits on the day. Alyssa See led off the Patriot first with a base hit to right center but could not come around to score. No Mason player was able to advance past second base for the duration of the game as Carly Martin earned the win with a three-hit shutout.
Rebecca Kirshner led the Lady Bison offense in game two with a 2-for-3, two RBI game, while Young drove in three RBIs with her bases-loaded double in the second inning. Mason got hits from See, Kara Weiner, and Daria Siwczak in the loss, which was charged to freshman Nicole Corcoran who allowed the first seven runs in two innings of work.
The Patriots will be back in action this weekend when they open Colonial Athletic Association play against defending conference champions James Madison on Saturday in Fairfax. The teams will play a doubleheader at noon Saturday before finishing the series Sunday at noon.
