April 26, 2008

Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

FAIRFAX, Va. - The George Mason softball team battled through hot and humid conditions through its doubleheader on Saturday, but the James Madison Dukes found a way to win in both games as they handed Mason two Colonial Athletic Association losses, 2-0 and 6-5, on Senior Day. Mason fell to 19-28 (6-10 CAA) as it saw its four-game win streak snapped, while the Dukes improved to 26-20, 10-6 in conference play.

In the opening game, the Patriots were limited to just two hits by JMU starter Meredith Felts (12-8), who retired the first 12 Mason batters in order before allowing a leadoff single by sophomore Ashli Breau in the fifth inning. Sophomore Becky Anderson (14-13) matched Felts for the most part, scattering five hits and two runs, both of which were unearned.

JMU opened the scoreboard in the fourth inning, when Megan Forbes scored on a Mason error. The Dukes added its final run on a Shannon Moxey RBI double to left-center field. She would finish the game 2-for-4, while Mason's other hit came from junior Kelsey Mack, a single in the sixth inning.

During the break between games, the Patriots honored three seniors, as Kristin Dickel, Lesley Hassen and Katlyn Winter are playing the final home games of their careers this weekend.

In the second game, the Dukes quickly opened a 3-0 lead with three runs in the first inning. That lead held until the bottom of the third, when the Patriots evened the score. Junior Dee Murray, in her first plate appearance of the season, led off with a double and scored on an RBI single by Mack. A Ciera Jones groundout with runners on the corners plated the second Mason run, and Breau's single up the middle provided the equalizer.

An inning later, Mason took its first lead of the day when Winter lined her second home run of the season over the left field fence. The Patriot advantage grew to 5-3 in the fifth inning, as Anderson singled to left, scoring Jones from third.

The two teams moved into the seventh inning with the score unchanged, but the Dukes capitalized on two Mason errors in the inning to score three runs. In the bottom half, Anderson walked with two outs to represent the tying run, but JMU sealed the victory with a groundout. Shannon Outman (5-4) earned the victory while Felts pitched the seventh for her second save of the year.

Mason will look to avoid its first three-game sweep of the season when the two teams meet at 12 p.m. on Sunday.