UAlbany Softball Splits Games With Cornell and George Mason at Cherry Blossom Classic - UAlbany Sports 2011

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.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information
Release: 03/18/2011