April 13, 2008

Box Score

WILMINGTON, N.C. - The George Mason softball team picked up its first Colonial Athletic Association series victory on Sunday as it jumped out to an early lead and held on, defeating UNC Wilmington 5-4 at Boseman Field. Mason improved to 13-25, 4-7 in the CAA after winning the series' rubber match, while the Seahawks fell to 12-24-1, 3-9 in conference play.

Sophomore Becky Anderson evened her season record at 11-11 with a complete game performance, allowing four runs (one earned) on six hits while striking out four. Brittney Lehrschall (4-9) took the loss in a rematch of the starting pitchers in the series' opening game.

Two Patriots recorded a pair of hits on the day, as sophomores Shaniqua Steele and Ashli Breau were both 2-for-4. Breau drove in a pair of runs with her ninth home run of the season in the first inning, and was one of two Patriots with a pair of RBIs.

Breau's home run, which incremented her Mason school record in a season, gave the Patriots a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. UNCW answered back in the bottom half with an RBI single to slash the deficit to 2-1.

Mason found two more runs in the second when junior Kelsey Mack's bases-loaded single to left field plated Anderson and junior Alison Bryan. The Patriots capped off their scoring an inning later as sophomore Ciera Jones scored on a Seahawk error.

Anderson would hold the Seahawk bats at bay through four innings, but in the fifth UNCW scored three runs to pull within one. However, Anderson allowed just one runner over the final two innings to preserve the win.

The Patriots will look to continue their winning ways on Wednesday when they host Georgetown for a doubleheader at 3 p.m.