Patriots Win Home Opener, Drop Second

By Broadside Contributor Robert Dongu
Photo by Peter Flint

In cold, windy conditions, the George Mason University softball team defeated Cornell 2-1 and lost to Quinnipiac by the same score in the 2008 Patriot Classic on Mar. 1.

Mason (1-6) broke a five-game losing streak and avenged their 9-0 loss to Cornell (1-1) last season. The Patriots played their first five games on the road this season, competing in the UCF Softball Tournament in Orlando, Fla. against schools including Auburn and Michigan.

“We don’t care if [we are playing] Michigan or Cornell or Quinnipiac. They are the same; you got to go out and play well,” George Mason coach Joe Verbanic said. “[The team is] starting to get excited and figure it out. They’re starting to figure out they can win.”

Both games on Sunday featured cold weather and high winds that caused dust to blow around the field. This caused the umpire to interrupt play on multiple occasions.

Game One Recap:
Mason pitcher Paige Krystofinski went five innings, allowing five hits and one earned run. Becky Anderson picked up the win with three innings of one-hit ball in relief.

“Paige threw a heck of a game,” Verbanic said. “Then Becky came in and closed the door... that’s a great formula for success.”

With the game tied in extra innings, the Patriots started the eighth inning with a runner on second base due to the International Tiebreaker Rule. After the runner advanced to third, Mason infielder Ashli Breau entered the game as a pinch hitter. Facing Cornell pitcher Ali Tomlinson, the sophomore connected on a sacrifice fly to deep center field, bringing home the winning run.

“[Tomlinson] was throwing outside so was I looking to go with the pitch,” Breau said.

“It’s great to get that first home win so we can take that into the next game,” Anderson said. “Since [the game] went into eight innings, we know we can do it when it comes to clutch time.”

Mason first baseman Kristin Dickel broke the scoreless tie in the fourth inning with a home run to right center field.

Tomlinson, who was credited with the loss, responded the next inning with an RBI double that bounced off the wall.

The loss wasted a strong performance from Cornell starting pitcher Jenn Meunier, who struck out four while allowing four hits and one earned run.

Game Two Recap:
The Patriots started a late-game rally in the final inning but fell to Quinnipiac 2-1. Following her win against Cornell, Anderson received the start against the Bobcats. She pitched six innings, giving up two runs and striking out four, but picked up her second loss of the season. Although the team had a short rest in between games, Anderson said that fatigue was not a factor.

“I don’t really think it was fatigue,” said Anderson, who said that the cold weather was a greater challenge. “I had to focus mentally a little bit more and I lost it at times.”

Breau contributed off the bench again with a game-tying RBI double off game-winning pitcher Jaimie Iaquinto in the sixth inning. With the Patriots trailing by one in the seventh inning, Mason rallied and nearly forced the game into extra innings.

Notes: Last Saturday, the Patriots opened the day with a 10-1 loss to Cornell, and ended the day with a 5-1 victory over Princeton in the final day of the Patriot Classic. This brought their record to 2-7.