Fairfax, Va.
- UAlbany split a pair of games on the opening day of the George Mason Cherry
Blossom Classic at GMU Softball Complex on Friday afternoon. The Great Danes
defeated Cornell, 3-2, in 10 innings in the opener before falling to George
Mason, 6-0, in game two.
In game one, Cornell took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth as Kristen Towne knocked a
lead-off homer. The Great Danes tied it up three innings later on a pair of Cornell
errors on the same play that allowed Alison Haan to score and forced the
contest into extra innings.
Cornell was able to load the bases and scored with two outs on a wild pitch in
the top of the eighth, asJenny Edwards made it home after being hit by a pitch to
start the inning. A pair of singles in the bottom of the frame tied the game
again for UAlbany, as Kylie Apostolina came home on an RBI single by Lauren
Alcorn, pushing the game into the ninth.
UAlbany used a little two-out magic to win the game on a walk-off single by
Lauren Alcorn in the tenth, giving the Great Danes a 3-2 victory. Walraven made
it home after starting the inning on second and moving into scoring position on
a sacrifice bunt by Apostolina.
Brittany
Schweiger and Brittany MacFawn combined in the circle, throwing five innings
apiece. MacFawn fanned nine opposing batters in the second half of the game to
earn the win.
George
Mason (9-7) posted the shutout win over the Great Danes in the evening game,
led by pitcher Kelsey Byrd, who tossed a complete game with four strikeouts and
just one hit. The Patriots scored a single run in the second to take an early
lead, before tacking on two in the fifth and three in the seventh.
Conlon
recorded an RBI double to drive in George Mason's first run, while a Lafferty
single scored two runs in the fifth. The Patriots wrapped up the scoring in the
seventh, recording three runs on four UAlbany errors.
Dianne
MacDowell recorded the only UAlbany hit in the game. Allie Weiser took the loss
in the circle after a complete-game effort, striking out five with three earned
runs.
UAlbany
(2-8) will return to action on Saturday with games against Monmouth and Howard
as play continues at the Cherry Blossom Classic.
