May 7, 2010
Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
NEWARK, Del. - Sophomore Tori Dudley drove in the tying run with an RBI single with two outs in the top of the seventh inning, and the George Mason softball team pushed across the game-winner in the eighth to complete a doubleheader sweep of Delaware on Friday afternoon with 5-0 and 5-4 victories at Delaware Field.
Mason improves to 20-24 and 8-12 in Colonial Athletic Association play the Patriots achieve their first 20-win season since 2005. Delaware falls to 8-12 in CAA competition and 20-29-1 overall.
Dudley's base hit to left-center field in the seventh allowed senior Becky Anderson to score and tie the contest at 4-4 after Anderson led off with a base hit to center. It was the Blue Hens who led early, though, as UD posted three runs in the bottom of the first inning. RBI singles through the middle by Amanda Stacevicz and Cecile Egan brought in the first two runs and Stacevicz scored on a wild pitch to leave the score 3-0 after one inning.
Mason responded in the fourth inning, as two runs scored on freshman Megan Blank's triple to right-center field. She was brought in on an RBI bunt single by Anderson in the very next at-bat.
A Jenny Richards single in the bottom half of the fourth, though, allowed Emily Wilcox to score and return the advantage back to the Blue Hens, 4-3.
From there, though, Mason reliever Amanda Buffington shut down the UD offense, allowing just four hits in four and one-third innings of work as the freshman picked up the win to improve to 4-2. Anne Marie Pagano (7-12)pitched a complete game and took the loss for the Blue Hens. Anderson, meanwhile, led all players with a 3-for-4 game at the plate.
In game one, Anderson led the Patriots to victory in the circle as she limited the Blue Hens to three hits in a complete-game shutout, striking out three as she garnered her 10th win of the season. Meanwhile, the Patriots struck first as sophomore Alyssa See attempted to bunt for a hit and third baseman Emily Wilcox tried to throw out See at first. Her errant throw, though, allowed See to round the bases and give Mason a 1-0 lead.
The second run of the day came one inning later, with junior Kara Weiner's RBI double scoring Blank who led off the frame with a base hit to right field. Mason kept the scoring going in the fifth inning, as senior Kate Bustin led off with a single and scored on another Blue Hen error.
Mason's final two runs came in the final inning, as sophomore Rachael Davies drove in a pair of Patriots with her single up the middle. Meanwhile, save for a leadoff triple by Gina Knutson in the fourth inning, the Blue Hens did not advance any other runners past second base.
Anderson (10-7) and the Patriots defense retired the final 12 Delaware batters in order however to preserve the shutout, Anderson's seventh of the season which positions her as the sole single-season record holder in that category. Davies and Weiner both finished with two hits to pace the Patriot offense which saw all but two starters record a hit. Delaware's Stacevicz (11-13) took the loss after pitching all seven innings.
The two teams will finish the regular season with a 12 p.m. contest on Saturday afternoon. Due to James Madison's victory over UNC Wilmington on Friday afternoon, the Patriots are unable to claim the fourth spot from the Dukes as a result of tie-breakers and so Mason's game against the Blue Hens on Saturday will close out the Patriots' season.
