Harrisonburg,
Va. -
The
George Mason softball team lost a close game Sunday at James Madison dropping a
4-3 decision in extra innings. Mason had
the lead in the seventh inning but couldn't close it out as Madison would tie
the game and win in the eighth inning.
The Dukes earned a swept over the Patriots as Mason's record dropped to
10-16 and 1-5 in the CAA. Madison
improved to 23-10 and 5-1 in the CAA.
Madison
took a 2-0 lead in the third inning after scoring one in the second off of two
hits and one in the third off of three hits.
Mason
tied the game in the top of the fourth inning as Kaila Conlon
reached base on a
one out error by the second baseman. Miranda
Cranford reached first on a fielder's choice and Conlon was out at second. With two outs and one on Katie Rynex
singled
to left field advancing Holly Klodin
, who came in to pinch run for Cranford, to
second. Samantha Barney
followed with a
single up the middle to load the bases.
Tori Dudley
walked in a run and Megan Blank
also walked in a run. With the bases loaded Stecher came in to
pitch for the Dukes and forced Rachael Davies
to fly out.
The
Patriots added a run in the sixth inning off of an RBI single by Reagan Doiron
that scored Davies and led Madison 3-2 all the way into the bottom of the
seventh. A solo shot by Burnham tied the
game forcing extra innings.
After
Mason was unable to score in the top of the eighth, Madison was able to hit a
two out walk-off home run in the bottom of the inning to win the game 4-3.
Stephanie
Maher received the loss for the Patriots pitching 0.2 innings and giving up the
walk-off home run. Cranford started the
game going 3.0 innings, allowing six hits, and two earned runs. Kelsey Byrd
allowed the tie in the seventh
inning but pitched 4.0 effective innings allowing three hits and the one earned
run. She also walked a batter.
Katie
Rynex was a perfect 3-for-3 today with a double, a run scored and a walk. Doiron was 2-for-4 on the day recording an
RBI. Dudley and Blank were both hitless
but each recorded an RBI. Davies, Conlon
and Barney all recorded singles.
Mason
will play again Wednesday, April 6 when they host Howard in a doubleheader that
is scheduled to begin at 4:00 p.m.
