TOWSON, Md. – The Towson University softball team swept a Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) doubleheader from George Mason on Saturday afternoon at the Tiger Softball Complex. The Tigers (28-23-1, 10-7 CAA) took game one by a 2-1 score and capped off the action with a 7-6 victory in game two.
The Tigers extended their win streak to 11 straight with the victories. It is the longest win streak since 1987, when the Tigers won a school record 12 straight games.
“We've been working hard to eliminate the strikeouts and get some good hits and I thought we did that today,” said Towson coach Lisa Costello.
The story of game one was a strong pitching performance from senior Katie Lingmai. Lingmai allowed just one hit and two base runners through the first five innings of action.
The Tiger offense staked Lingmai to an early lead with a run in the bottom of the second. Senior Bina Abbott led off with a walk and moved to second on freshman Caitie Barber's bunt base hit. A wild pitch from the Patriots allowed both base runners to move up a bag. Junior Maureen Hepner then lifted a sacrifice fly to right field, which scored Abbott and gave the Tigers a 1-0 advantage.
George Mason (15-36, 3-14 CAA) finally reached Lingmai for an unearned run in the top of the sixth. Tiffany Webb reached on a Tiger error and scored on Brooke Blankenship's single.
The Tigers answered the Patriots with a run of their own in the bottom of the six. Junior Delanie Dunham led off the inning with a single to left center and was sacrificed to second. Dunham scored on Abbott's two-out single to right field and the Tigers held a 2-1 lead.
George Mason led off the top of the seventh with a hit but that runner was stranded at second as Lingmai got three outs to secure the victory.
Lingmai went seven strong innings for her 16th win in the circle this season. She allowed one unearned run on four hits while striking out eight and walking none. Anna Blessing took the loss for the Patriots after surrendering two runs on four hits.
Abbott led the Tigers with a hit, a run scored and an RBI in game one. Blankenship had two hits and an RBI for the Patriots.
The Tigers' offense wasted little time in getting going in game two with three runs in the bottom of the first. Sophomore Macie McGeehan and Abbot had RBI singles in the frame.
George Mason got one of those runs back in the top of the second as Cori Prince had an RBI single.
In the bottom of the second, Dunham crushed a three-run home run to center field, which gave the Tigers a 6-1 advantage. Towson added to its lead in the bottom of the fourth as Hailey Balk reached on a single and scored as Olivia Yarbrough singled. The Patriots made an error on the play which allowed Balk to score from first.
The Patriots made it a 7-4 game with three runs in the top of the sixth. George Mason took advantage of a Tiger error on a failed pickoff to score their first run of the inning. Angela Maioran added a sac fly while a run scored when Casey Price reached on a fielder's choice.
George Mason cut the Tiger lead to one with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh. Megan Blank doubled to right center to score two, however she was thrown out trying to reach third to end the game.
Ambar Hickman earned the game two win for the Tigers after giving up six runs on eight hits. Christina Gabriele took the loss for George Mason after giving up seven runs on seven hits in four innings.
Hepner and Yarbrough led the Tigers with two hits each in game two while Yarbrough scored twice. Blank had two hits, two RBIs and a run scored to lead George Mason.
The Tigers and Patriots wrap up their series on Sunday, Apr. 28 at 1 p.m. Towson will honor its six seniors prior to the start of the game.
