BOX SCORE
FAIRVAX, Va. – The University of Hartford softball team erased a four run deficit at George Mason and with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, junior Jordan Haines notched a walk-off double to help the Hawks complete the comeback and score a 5-4 victory over the Pioneers in the opening game of the George Mason Invitational on Friday afternoon.
Six different players notched hits in the win, which was the first for the Hawks this season as they move to 1-3 overall. George Mason drops to 3-9.
After battling back from an early 4-0 deficit with a pair of runs in the third and two more in the bottom of the fourth, the Hawks and Pioneers exchanged zeroes in the final two stanzas to send the contest into extra innings.
In the eighth frame, both teams put down their opposition in order, and after George Mason went down one-two-three in the top of the ninth, the Hawks heated up in the bottom of the ninth.
With one out, Andrews walked for the second time in the game and freshman Devynne Butler singled in the next at-bat. Following a fielder's choice that put Kate Wacyk on base and nabbed Andrews, the Hawks' lead runner, at third, Haines proved to have the clutch bat when she muscled out a double to centerfield to plate the game-winning run.
Inside of the circle, Siera Sheehan threw for nine complete innings, allowing four runs on seven hits while recording five strikeouts. Starter Amanda Buffington threw 2.1 innings for George Mason, allowing two runs – one earned on three hits. Casey saw 2.2 innings and allowed a pair of unearned runs while Stephanie Maher suffered the loss after hurling the final 3.2 innings.
George Mason quickly put two runs up on the scoreboard in the top of the first and went on to cushion its advantage to 4-0 with two more in the third inning. The Pioneers opened the game with two-straight singles, and after loading the bases with no outs, Katie Rynex blasted a two run single to put her team up ahead early.
In the third, Rynex reached base on a fielder's choice and after Regean Doiron earned a walk in the next at-bat, Rachael Davies doubled to left center field to clear the bases and give the Pioneers a 4-0 edge.
In the bottom of the third, the Hawks got two runners on the base paths as Erica Phelps walked to open the inning and Butler helped her move up 60 feet after she was hit by a Buffington pitch with one out. Wacyk took advantage of the Pioneers' hiccup and plated Phelps on a deep single to centerfield to put the Hawks on the scoreboard.
Following a pitching change that saw Herring take over in the circle, junior Jordan Haines was hit by a pitch to fill each of the bases with one out. In the next at-bat, Peyton Fisher, a freshman, reached base on an error by Herring, allowing Butler to score from third while trimming Hartford's deficit to two at 4-2.
Jackie Kelly got the frame going for Hartford with a walk, and after George Mason retired the next two Hawks, she moved to scoring position when Andrews watched four balls go past home plate. Butler, a rookie, then earned the third walk of the inning off of Pioneers' hurler Herring to load up the bases. Wacyk again provided a clutch at-bat for the Hawks by reaching base on an outfield error, allowing Kelly and Andrews to score while tying the game at four all.
The Hawks resume action at the George Mason Invitational with two games on Saturday. Hartford starts it day off with an 11:00 a.m. matchup against Cornell before taking on host team George Mason at 2:15 p.m.
