Mason's Youth Group

By Broadside Sports Editor Brian Chan

One of the key additions to George Mason University softball will be their new state-of-the-art ballpark. With a change of scenery, the Patriots look to exceed expectations once again this season as they were picked to finish last in the conference in the preseason polls.

Mason softball was incepted in 1979 and at one time it was one of the school’s strongest programs. In 2002, the Patriots reached the 40-win plateau for the third time in school history. Since then, the team has gone through a dry spell.

Mason entered the 2008 season having finished last in the Colonial Athletic Association for the previous two seasons. Since posting an 8-48 record in 2006, their worst win-loss ratio in school history, Mason has shown slight improvements with a 19-34 record in 2007 and 19-32 record last season.

Mason began the 2008 season with a 1-7 record. Five of their losses were by one run, including their season-opening loss to the nationally-ranked University of Michigan Wolverines. The Patriots responded by winning four of their next five games. During the middle of the season, Mason outscored the Coppin State University Eagles by a combined score of 54-1 in a doubleheader. Prior to losing their final six games, the Patriots won seven of eight.

Mason kicks off the 2009 season with fifth-year manager Joe Verbanic and only six returning players among their 15-man roster. Junior pitcher Becky Anderson returns as Mason’s top pitcher after making a school-record 36 appearances. Anderson’s 1.95 ERA ranked fourth among CAA pitchers with at least 100 innings. Despite recording the CAA-leading 17 losses last season, Anderson held a 2.34 strikeout-to-walk ratio and gave up only three home runs.

“The main thing [for this season] is to work together. Getting to know each other and working as a team is important to us,” said Anderson.

Anderson will go up against the conference’s most prominent pitchers. Defending CAA champion Hofstra University Pride senior Kayleigh Lotti, the two-time CAA Pitcher of the Year, led the conference with a 23-6 record and 241 strikeouts in 196-2/3 innings. Opponents hit only .153 against her. The James Madison University Dukes led by their two seniors, Jenny Clohan and Meredith Felts combined for 27 wins and 291 strikeouts last season. The Pride and Dukes will be tough challenges for Anderson as she is the lone junior for Mason.

“I have learned to take my time and focus more than in the past. I was nervous during my freshman year, but I have now learned to slow the game down,” said Anderson.

Senior outfielders Alison Bryan and Meghan Hill look to be influential leaders for a team that lacks experience.

Bryan, who pitched earlier in her collegiate career, will split her time on the mound and in the outfield. She made 11 starts out of 20 appearances and posted a 3-8 record with six complete games in her freshman year before becoming a full-time outfielder. Last season, she batted .195 after hitting .258 in 2007. Her two triples were tied for the team lead.

Hill, originally a walk-on, batted .172 and scored 14 runs last season, while hitting just singles. Her best performance came against Mount St. Mary’s University when she recorded two hits and scored two runs.

Sophomores Stephanie Strother, Kate Bustin, and Kara Weiner are the other returning players.

The three combined for 49 at-bats last season. Bustin hit .300 and scored seven runs. In 14 at-bats, Weiner hit three doubles, drove in six RBIs, and scored nine runs.

One of the key losses is Ashli Breau, who led Mason in nearly every offensive category last season. While hitting .421/.463/.752, Breau belted a Mason record 11 home runs and drove in 48 RBIs. Throughout this season, Mason will search for its power-hitter.

The team this season will look to its young players for support. The Fairfax native catcher/infielder Morgan Davis, who received an All-Met Honorable Mention, broke the state record for RBIs in 2006. Utility player Alyssa See was named pitcher of the year by both the Ashland Times-Gazette and Mansfield News Journal. Among the eight freshmen, two come from out-of-state. Both pitcher/first baseman Miranda Cranford and infielder Tori Dudley arrive at Mason from the West Coast.

“We tend not to dwell on the past. This is one of the strongest freshman classes we have had. Being a young team is not a bad thing since we have great young talent that will compete with anybody and not back down. Our goal [for 2009] will be to go out there and try to win the conference,” said Verbanic.

The Patriots will throw the first pitch in their new ballpark on Saturday against Youngstown State University to start off their 14-game homestand. Mason hosts two separate tournaments this season. They will wrap up the month of February with the Patriot Classic and host the George Mason Invitational in early March. Non-conference opponents for this season include games against University of Virginia and George Washington University. Mason concludes the regular season with a three-game series against the Dukes.