April 11, 2010

Box Score

FAIRFAX, Va. - The George Mason softball team took the Towson Tigers to 12 innings before a walk-off sacrifice fly by sophomore Miranda Cranford lifted the Patriots to a 1-0 Colonial Athletic Association win in Sunday's series finale at the Mason Softball Complex.

The win gives the Patriots (12-17, 3-6 CAA) their first CAA series victory of the season after splitting with Towson (23-12, 6-3) in Saturday's doubleheader.

Senior Becky Anderson (6-3) pitched her third shutout of the week and second against the Tigers as she allowed just four hits in a career-high 12-inning complete game, striking out five batters while using 139 pitches. Katie Lingmai fell to 8-4 after her complete game effort, taking the loss after allowing one run on three hits and 162 pitches thrown.

Cranford was able to drive in the game-winner following a pair of hits to lead off the 12th inning. Sophomore Katie Rynex led off the frame with a single up the middle, just the second Patriot hit of the day. She was followed by freshman Emily Lafferty who lined a double to the right-center field wall and advanced to third on a throw which got Rynex called out at home plate. With one out, Lafferty was lifted for senior Kate Bustin, who covered the 60 feet standing up for the game-winning run.

Freshman Megan Blank tallied the other Mason hit, a two-out single to second base which ended Lingmai's no-hit bid in the fourth inning.

Prior to the extra-inning heroics, the Patriots' best scoring chance came in the second inning with a pair of runners in scoring position and one out, but two outs were recorded without any scoring.

After Towson posted two of its four hits in the fourth inning and ended the threat of Anderson's second no-hitter of the season, a fielder's choice loaded the bases before a groundout to Rynex at first base left three Tigers stranded. Towson got two more hits in the fifth before Anderson and the Mason defense rattled off 19 consecutive outs. Stef Streets led off the 12th with a walk, was sacrificed to second but on a fielder's choice by Joyce Delp, was tagged out in a rundown by sophomore Tori Dudley close to the second base bag.

The 12-inning donnybrook was the longest game for the Patriots since March 25, 2006, a 3-2 victory over Delaware which also spanned 12 innings. It was Mason's second extra-inning contest of 2010, following a 2-1 loss to Mount St. Mary's in nine innings on March 9.

Mason will return to action on Wednesday, opening a six-game road trip with a 4 p.m. contest at George Washington.