FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason softball team split the opening two games against Saint Louis for the three-game conference series. The Patriots fell in the first game 8-5, before winning the second game 6-5. The final game of the series is tomorrow at 1:00 p.m.
The Billikens jumped out to an early lead in the first game, scoring two runs each in the first two innings. The Patriots were able to cut the lead down to just two in the top of the fourth after a Breanna Boyd two-RBI double to right field. However, Saint Louis rebounded with two more runs in the bottom half of the inning.
In the fifth inning, Mason cut the lead to just two again after Brooke Blankenship blasted a homerun to right center to make the score 6-4. However, Saint Louis again cut the comeback bid short and scored two more runs in the bottom of the sixth. Despite Mason scoring a run in the seventh, Saint Louis went on to take the first game 8-5.
Sarah Kleinfelter pitched 3.1 innings for the Patriots and Casey Herring pitched the final 2.2 innings in relief. Brianna Lore picked up the win for the Billikens after pitching five innings. Allie Macfarlane provided three RBI on two hits to lead the Billiken offense.
Saint Louis jumped out to an early lead after the first three innings, 4-1. In the fourth inning, Mason cut the lead down to just one after Liz Seymour doubled to center field to score two runners. In the next inning, Casey Herring crushed a three-run homerun to center field to take a 6-4 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth.
Saint Louis trailed by one in the bottom of the seventh with a runner on first base and two outs. Alyssa Tarquino then doubled down the left field line and the runner from first base slipped while rounding third base and was tagged out by Blankenship on the throw from Julia Czarnecki to win the game for the Patriots.
Christina Gabriele got the start in the circle and pitched three innings, while Casey Herring pitched the final four innings in relief. Herring gave up just one hit and picked up the win in the second game.
Briana Lore led the Billikens offense with three RBI in the second game. The Patriots conclude the series with the lone game starting at 1:00 p.m. tomorrow.
