WHO: Softball vs Cornell @ Cherry Blossom Classic
WHERE: Fairfax, Va.
FINAL SCORE: Mason 7, Cornell 2
KEY PLAYERS: Casey Price, 2-3, 1R, 3RBI, 1BB, Julia Czarnecki 3-3, 1R, 1RBI, Sarah Solano, 2-4, 2R, Sarah Kleinfelter 3IP, 2H, 4K, 1S

Fairfax, Va. –  George Mason University's softball team started the Cherry Blossom Classic with a bang, scoring four first inning runs on their way to a 7-2 victory over Cornell.

After freshman starting pitcher Gabriella Lopez stranded two Big Red base runners, the Patriots wasted little time putting runs on the board. Senior outfielder Casey Price walked and junior second baseman McKenzie Jones hit a single that set the table for sophomore shortstop Liz Seymour.

Seymour cranked a double scoring Price and advanced Jones to third, giving the Patriots a 1-0 lead. After a strikeout, the Patriots would earn two walks, the latter scoring Jones, before Seymour came home on an error made by the Cornell right fielder. The Patriots tacked on their fourth and final run of the inning thanks to a senior outfielder Julia Czarnecki single that scored freshman first baseman Samantha Zaccari.

However, Cornell would come back strong in the top of the second inning with a two run homerun after a leadoff double. Fortunately for Mason, the combined efforts of Lopez and senior pitcher Sarah Kleinfelter would ensure that those two runs would be the only times the Big Red crossed the plate all game.

Mason would answer in the bottom of the third when the Patriots strung together three straight singles. Price would drive in senior outfielder Sarah Solano, who started the two out rally with her first of two hits in the contest.

Lopez did a fantastic job of frustrating Cornell as she worked out of several jams and stranded seven base runners in her five four innings of work. Kleinfelter would relieve the young Patriot and earn her first save of the season, only allowing three base runners the rest of the game.

Mason put the game out of reach with two insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth when Price doubled in Czarnecki and Solano. Price was unsuccessful in turning the double into a triple but the damage had been done.

Cornell would try and make things interesting with a one out single in the top of the seventh inning, but Kleinfelter induced a game ending 6-4-3 double play. The Patriots did a great job at the plate earning 14 hits, putting to rest concerns that arose when the Patriots only got one hit in their final game of the Stetson Classic.

STAT BREAKDOWN

-The Patriots and Big Red combined for 25 hits in the contest.

-The 4,5,6 and 7 hitters for the Big Red all got two hits apiece yet only the hitter in the seven spot drove in any runs.

-The top three hitters for the Patriots were lethal, combining for 7 hits, and 3 runs 4 RBI's despite leaving 5 runners on base.

OTHER TOURNAMENT NOTES:

-St. Franics (Pa.) defeated Canisius 9-1 in game one of the Cherry Blossom Classic. St. Francis (Pa.) would go on to defeat Cornell 5-4 and Canisius defeated Georgetown 4-1.

NEXT ON THE DIAMOND

Tomorrow, the Patriots face Canisius at 4:45 p.m. and St. Francis (Pa.) at 7 p.m.