WHO: Softball vs Fordham
WHERE: Bronx, N.Y.
FINAL SCORE: Fordham 6, Mason 5
KEY PLAYERS: Julia Czarnecki 2-4, 1R, Liz Seymour 2-3, 2RBI, Jess Middleton 1-4, 2RBI, Brooke Sullivan 2-3, 1R, 1RBI
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1st
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2nd
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3rd
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4th
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5th
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6th
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7th
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R
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H
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E
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George Mason (22-23) (8-11)
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0
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0
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1
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0
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3
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1
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0
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5
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10
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0
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Fordham (33-18) (16-4)
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0
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0
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0
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0
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4
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2
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X
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6
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8
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1
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WHO: Softball vs Fordham
WHERE: Bronx, N.Y.
FINAL SCORE: Fordham 7, Mason 0
KEY PLAYERS: Casey Price 1-4, Julia Czarnecki 1-4, Liz Seymour 1-4, McKenzie Jones 1-3
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1st
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2nd
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3rd
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4th
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5th
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6th
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7th
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R
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H
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E
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George Mason (22-24) (8-12)
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0
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0
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0
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0
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0
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0
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0
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0
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5
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1
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Fordham (34-18) (17-4)
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0
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0
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0
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0
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7
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0
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X
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7
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8
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1
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Bronx, N.Y. – George Mason University's softball team battled Fordham Saturday but fell short in both games of their doubleheader against the Rams.
With two outs in the third inning of game one, Mason recorded the first hit of the game thanks to a bunt single by senior center fielder Casey Price. After a single by senior left fielder Julia Czarnecki, sophomore shortstop Liz Seymour hit a single and Price came home to score when the Fordham center fielder bobbled the sharp hit.
A crazy sequence occurred in the bottom of the fourth as freshman right fielder Victoria Webster threw out a Fordham runner at home. Fordham's coach believed that there was base runner interference but after an umpire conference, it was determined the play on the field would stand.
The Patriots would add to their lead in the top of the fifth after the table was set by back-to-back singles by sophomore catcher Brooke Sullivan and redshirt junior second baseman McKenzie Jones. After a strike out, and base hit by Czarnecki, Seymour hit a sacrifice fly to bring Sullivan home and set up redshirt freshman third baseman Jess Middleton for an important early-game at bat.
Middleton delivered with a double in the right-center field gap and brought home both Jones and Czarnecki. The Patriots appeared to have a comfortable lead going into the bottom half of the fifth but that lead would evaporate. Fordham went on to load the bases and hit a grand slam to left field that evened the score at four.
Mason quickly responded in the top half of the sixth inning after an out to start the inning. Back-to-back doubles by Webster and Sullivan gave Mason the lead again at 5-4. Once again, the lead would not hold as Fordham went on to hit a two-run home run, again to left field, that would give Fordham the lead for good, 6-5.
Game two started just like game one with neither team able to get on the board in the first two innings. The score would remain tied at zero until the bottom of the fifth when Fordham knocked home seven runs to break the game open. Senior pitcher Sarah Kleinfelter had retired eight Rams in a row and had only given up two hits before the fifth inning.
The Patriots' best chance to get back in the game came in the top of the sixth inning when they loaded the bases with no outs. After two strikeouts, Mason flew out to right as the threat ended. Mason was unable to put a run across in the top of the seventh and the game ended, 7-0.
OTHER NOTES
Mason currently sits seventh in the Atlantic 10 standings and will need to win tomorrow's regular season finale to have a chance to make the conference tournament. If Mason wins and Saint Louis defeats George Washington, the Patriots make the tournament. If Mason wins and if St. Bonaventure defeats Saint Joseph's twice tomorrow, the Patriots will also make the tournament.
NEXT ON THE DIAMOND
The Patriots face the Rams for their final regular season game of the season at 1 p.m. tomorrow.
