Score By Periods
| Team |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
R |
H |
E |
|
MASON
MASON
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
0 |
|
Duke
DU
|
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
X |
2 |
5 |
1 |
W: Cassidy Curd (17-1)
L: Rayle, Aly (19-10)
DURHAM, N.C. – The George Mason softball team pushed the eighth-seeded Duke Blue Devils to the very end, ultimately falling 2-1 to the regional hosts.
It was a strong NCAA postseason debut for the Patriots (35-23) as they scored their first postseason run in school history, while forcing Duke to change pitchers twice.
"I thought we played well all day," said head coach
Justin Walker. "We had some opportunities throughout the game to capitalize offensively and just didn't come up with a clutch hit at that point in the game. Defensively, I thought we did a good job making the plays that we needed to allow us to stay in the game and be able to fight, coming back and bouncing back. Just staying the course with what we've done all year, so there's no reason to change anything. It's just going to be like having a couple of doubleheaders on back-to-back days here and we'll just figure that piece out."
MASON BY THE NUMBERS
- Aly Rayle pitched another complete game for Mason, totaling four strikeouts while giving up five hits and two earned runs. She now has 246 strikeouts on the year
- Three Patriots combined for four hits, led by Elyssa DeRosa who went 2-3 with two singles and a stolen base
- Nicole Betchel registered her 41st RBI of the season when she singled to right field to drive home Charlotte Montgomery to tie the game in the fifth
The Blue Devils (46-10) took a one-run lead in the bottom of the second inning, beginning with Ana Gold's walk. After she stole second, she advanced to third on a fly out. A sacrifice fly on the next batter sent her home to take a 1-0 lead.
It was a defensive battle through the next two innings.
Charlotte Montgomery registered a single before
Haley Taormina drew a walk to advance her to second. A perfectly placed single to right center by Nicole Betchel gave Montgomery the time to cross home and tying the game at one-a-piece.
Rachel Warrens followed up the strong fifth-inning offense with equally impressive defense, laying out across the fence in foul territory to make an important catch and keep the game tied.
Mason was able to get two on base on two walks, but Duke's ace, Cassidy Curd entered in the middle of the pitch count of the final out of the sixth to stop the momentum and close the inning. Ana Gold scored her second run of the game, ultimately the game winning, on a homer to center field and the Blue Devils hung on to complete the opening game victory.
UP NEXT
The Patriots will have a chance to keep their season alive tomorrow, May 20, at 3:30 p.m. Mason will play the loser of today's second game between Campbell and Charlotte.
