SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The George Mason softball team opened their 2024 season with a pair of losses on Friday at the Inaugural Terrier Invite in Spartanburg, S.C. The Patriots were shut out by Eastern Kentucky 5-0 in Game One and were later walked-off 4-3 in extra innings to Robert Morris.
PATRIOT HIGHLIGHTS
GEORGE MASON 0, EASTERN KENTUCKY 5
The Patriots were the designated home team in the first game of the season, so senior starting pitcher Carly Cooper (5.0 IP, 3 K, 3 BB, 7 H, 5 R, 4 ER), took to the circle. Cooper and the Patriots faced a deep top of the first inning, surrendering a leadoff walk, a stolen base and ultimately a Vianna Barron RBI single to give the Colonels an early lead. Cooper's two strikeouts in the first frame limited the damage.
Graduate first baseman Maddy Myers (1-3) recorded the team's first hit of the season in the bottom of the second inning with a single to right center. However, Eastern Kentucky was able to pitch around the leadoff hit to strand the lone Patriot.
The first real Patriot threat emerged in the bottom of the third, with Charlotte Montgomery (1-2, 1 2B, 1 SB) on third and Elyssa DeRosa (1-2, 1 BB, 1 SB) stealing second base with two outs. Unfortunately, the Patriot rally fell short, as Marlaina Bozek's at bat resulted in a groundout to short.
Harlowe Nigh (2.0 IP, 2 K, 1 BB, 2 H) made her Patriot debut in the top of the sixth inning. The sophomore transfer from Seton Hill recorded two clean frames, striking out two batters and allowing one walk.
Eastern Kentucky scored two more runs In the top of the third. Jeanay Riley lined a two-out triple down the right field line, with the following batter being Barron, who had already recorded the game's first RBI. Barron drove in her second run of the game with a double to left. Following Barron, designated hitter Maddi Rutan singled to right to extend the Colonel lead to three runs.
The Colonels tacked on two more unearned runs in the fourth. Aftera Bella Sanchez led off with a single and was replaced by Kaitlyn Wallis, a Patriot fielding error the following at bat allowed Wallis to score from first. Reese Knox's RBI single would drive the unearned, second run of the inning.
After the fourth inning, both teams held each other scoreless for the rest of the game.
GEORGE MASON 3, ROBERT MORRIS 4 (8 innings)
In the second game of the afternoon, the Patriots were the away team and Jordan Anderson (4.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER 3 K) got the start for the Patriots. The junior from Alliance, Ohio started the game hot, striking out two of her first three batters and recording two clean frames.
In the top of the third, Sydney Bales (0-1, 1 BB) led the inning off by drawing a walk and would later steal second to get the Patriots into scoring position with no outs. The Patriots were unable to capitalize, however, and stranded Bales after three consecutive outs.
Anderson continued her strong start, recording a 1-2-3 third inning.
It was also Jordan Anderson (1-2, 1 2B, 2 RBI) who also put the Patriots on the board for the first time this season in the top of the fourth inning. After a string of singles by Elyssa DeRosa (1-4, 1 R) and Maddy Myers (1-3) put multiple runners on base, freshman Haleigh Dellow (1 R, 1 SB) made her collegiate debut by coming in as a pinch runner for Myers. After Dellow stole second, there were runners on second and third with only one out. Jordan Anderson was able to clear the bases with a double to right field.
The following half inning, Robert Morris immediately cut the Patriot lead in half by way of an Anna Resnik leadoff home run to left center. That would be the only run given up by the Patriots in the inning.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Robert Morris was threatening to take the lead. With runners on first and second with nobody out, Harlowe Nigh (3.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB) came in relief for Anderson. Nigh was able to get out of the jam and record three outs without giving up the lead.
The Colonials would tie the game up in the bottom of the sixth inning, however, on a Meadow Sacadura two-out RBI double, scoring Julia Ehrman from second base.
The game would go on to extra innings, where a runner would be placed on second base to start the inning. For the Patriots, Kamryn Inman (1-3, 1 R) was Mason's runner. Rachel Warrens (1-4, 1 RBI) hit an RBI single to score Inman and give Mason the lead again.
In the bottom of the eighth, Robert Morris' Avery Winchell, with a runner already on second, ended the game in one swing. Her leadoff home run went over the left field wall and handed Mason their second straight loss to start the season.
UP NEXT
The Patriots have two more games lined up for Saturday's installment of the Inaugural Terrier Invite. They will first play the host Wofford at 12:30 p.m. Then the Patriots will either play at 3 or 5:30 p.m. for their second game. Livestats for the games can be found by clicking this link.
