George Mason's softball team dropped their first two games in the Cherry Blossom Invitational held at the George Mason Softball Complex this weekend. The Patriots lost the opener 5-1 to Bowling Green State University and the nightcap 11-7 to Albany.

In the first game, Bowling Green jumped on the Patriots with a four-run first inning. The Falcons leadoff batter Hannah Fulk took the second pitch of the game over the left field fence just fair of the foul pole against Mason pitcher Casey Herring. Melissa West singled with a blooper into left field. Katie Yoho tripled down the right field line for the Falcons second run. With two runners on base Shelby Fink double to right field, scoring two more Falcons. Chloe Giordano grounded out to end the inning.

The Patriots started the home half of the first with a single by Alyssa See, her first of two hits in the game. Tori Dudley singled to right field. Samantha Barney walked to load the bases with one out. Falcon pitcher Paris Imholtz struck out Rachel Davies and Katie Rynex to end the rally.

Bowling Green added one run in the fourth inning. Shelby Fink led off the inning with a double to right center, her second hit of the game. Mason made a pitching change inserting Tiffany Harvell. Chloe Giordano flied out to center advancing the runner to third. McCelland grounded out to pitcher for the second out. Fulk singled through the left side for the RBI.

Mason earned their run in the seventh off reliever Erin Greenwalt who came into the game in the sixth inning. Patriots Reagan Doiron singled up the middle to start the inning. Barney followed with a one-out single and Rachel Davies singled to right field to score Doiron. Rynex singled to right field.  Bowling Green brought in reliever Jamie Kertes for Greenwalt. Emily Lafferty hit into a double play to end the game.

Mason ended the game with 10 hits, with Mary O'Connor, See and Barney each with two. The Falcons had five runs on seven hits, led by two hits each by Fulk, Stratton and Fink.

George Mason vs. Albany

Stephanie Maher was the starting pitcher for Mason. In the first inning Albany's Diane McDowell stole second base after taking a walk. Mason's shortstop Rachael Davies dove to stop the single from going through the infield keeping the runner from advancing. An infield single between pitcher and first base scored the Great Dan's first run of the game.

Hit with the first pitch from Albany starting pitcher Allie Weiser, Alyssa See was the Patriots first base runner. Reagan Doiron walked to advance See. Runners advanced on a wild pitch then Rachael Davies earned a walk to load the bases. Katie Rynex singles with line drive up the middle to score the Patriots first run. Emily Lafferty got  hit by the pitch and Mason's second run was in the books. Brittany Schwieger entered the game to pitch for the Great Danes. Megan Blank hits an infield single for the third run. Mary O'Connor got an infield hit for run number four. Leadoff batter See gets her second at-bat of the inning and she beat out a grounder to score the Patriots fifth consecutive RBI. Dorion ended the inning on a long fly ball to left field.

Albany scored five runs in the second inning to take the lead 6-5. Vicky McFarland tripled into the right center fence to score two runs to cut the Mason lead to 5-3. Mel Herdon hit a grounder to third and the Patriots threw out McFarland at the plate for out number two. Charlise Castro tripled in the right center game to tie the score at five apiece. Amanda Buffington came in to pitch replacing Maher, leaving with five runs on five hits. A single by Great Dane's Katie Wambold scored the sixth run.

Patriots Tori Dudley started the second inning with an infield single and advanced to second on error on throw to first. Samantha Barney grounded out but advanced runner to third. Dudley scored on a passed ball to knot the score at six apiece.

The scoring continued in the third as Albany's Alexa Tool hit an infield single and stole second. MacFarland hits a liner up the middle scoring Tool, her third RBI of the game and a 7-6 lead. Diane MacDowell strikes out and McFarland was caught stealing third for the final out.

Mason's Emily Lafferty had a lead-off walk to start the home half of the third. Mary O'Connor drew a walk. See loaded the bases with a single to right field. Reagan Dorion gets the runner across the plate with a grounder to third base.

In the fifth inning Albany's Katie Wambold hit the first pitch into left field for a single. Kylie Apostolina gets a one-out walk. Pitcher Tiffany Harvell comes in to relieve Buffington with one out. She gets the first batter Jess Tate to ground out to first base. Alexa Toole walked to load the bases. McFarland grounds to shortstop Davies but errant throw past second baseman scores two runs, then hitter thrown out trying to advance to second. Albany takes a 9-7 lead.

Casey Herring enters the seventh to pitch for the Patriots. Katie Wambold hits the first pitch into right field for her fourth hit of the game. Lauren Alcorn gets to first on a bunt that produced an errant throw to first base. Apostolina recorded a triple with a shot over centerfield that bounced to the wall, scoring two runs to give Albany a 11-7 lead. Herring loaded the bases with two straight walks. McFarland grounds to shortstop Davies gets the force at home for the first out. Herring strikes out MacDowell and Stephanie Talerico to end the inning.

Albany's Brittany Schwieger comes in for relief in the seventh. After Lafferty drew a one-out walk, Schwieger retired the next two batters on strikeouts.

Mason finished the game with eight hits and two errors. Albany recorded 11 runs on 11 hits with one error.