April 10, 2010
Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
FAIRFAX, Va. - Backed by senior Becky Anderson's second one-hit complete game shutout of the week, the George Mason softball team picked up a 3-0 victory in the Colonial Athletic Association series opener against Towson, before the Tigers responded with a 9-1 victory in game two of the doubleheader Saturday afternoon at the Mason Softball Complex.
The Patriots' season record stands at 11-17 and 2-6 in the CAA, while the Tigers finish the day 23-11 and 6-2 in conference.
Anderson (5-3) gave up just one hit, a Kim Lempa single down the left field line in the opening frame, while striking out four Tigers and allowing no walks in her fourth shutout of the season.
Meanwhile, sophomore Rachael Davies gave the Patriots all of the cushion they would need as she homered in the bottom of the first inning. The solo shot, her second of the season and fourth career home run, cleared the left field fence on a full count and gave Mason the 1-0 lead.
Mason added two more runs in the fourth inning, as leadoff batter Katie Rynex scored on an RBI sacrifice fly to center by freshman Megan Blank. Rynex walked to begin the inning and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt attempt by freshman Emily Lafferty in which the Tigers' throw to first base was errant. Lafferty, who was sacrificed to third by Anderson for the second out, came home to score when junior Stephanie Strother's grounder to third base was mishandled by the Tigers.
A string of 12 consecutive Towson batters set down in order came to a close in the top of the fifth inning when Anderson hit Joyce Delp with a pitch. Delp would be the last Tiger baserunner of the day as Anderson retired the final seven TU hitters in order. Katie Lingmai (8-4) took the loss for Towson in her complete-game performance.
In game two of the doubleheader, Towson grabbed the lead in the second inning when a Rachel Miller base hit to right field was mishandled by the Patriots and Courtney Wittner scored on the error. Mason countered in the bottom half of the inning as sophomore Miranda Cranford drove a base hit through the right side allowing junior Kara Weiner to score from second after she doubled to left center with two outs.
The score remained knotted at one for the first four innings before the Tiger bats came alive in the fifth, producing five runs on six hits and forcing the exit of Cranford from the circle, as she fell to 4-10 on the year after allowing the first three runs (one earned) in four innings of work. Three more runs in the top of the sixth inning lifted Towson to the 9-1 advantage, and after a leadoff double by Blank in the bottom half, Mason recorded three straight outs to give the Tigers the win. Shannon Johnston improved to 7-5 with the complete game victory.
The teams will take to the field once more, a 2 p.m. rubber game on Sunday.
