After dropping the first three games of the season by double digits, the J.E.B. Stuart High School girls varsity softball team claimed its first win of the season, 8-7 over cross-town foe, George Mason High School. The Raiders had their way on the base paths, accumulating 17 steals on the game according to Stuart Head Coach Mary Jennings, while seven of the team’s nine batters reached base and scored during the contest.

The critical runs came in the second inning, when a pair of hits by sophomore Monique Hall and freshman Hanh Thach sparked a four-run rally to get the Raiders on the board. Later, in the fifth inning, senior Keera Batiste hit a two-run home run.

“The team was pretty happy, but they also anticipated winning the game, so it was not much of a surprise,” Jennings said. “The coaches were very happy.”

For the Mustangs, also winless heading into the contest with a record of 0-3, that first win remained just out of reach after rallying from a 6-0 deficit in the fifth inning.

With senior Kit Thackrey and junior Mary Dassira on base for the Mustangs in the top of the fifth, a base hit by senior Lisa Razzi got Mason on the board. Sophomore Kacie Sobsey followed with a base hit of her own to drive in Dassira. Both Razzi and Sobsey would score on pass balls to make the score 6-4 in favor of the Raiders.

In the top of the sixth, Mason struck again when junior Kate Root drove home Thackrey and Dassira, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Raiders and Batiste’s home run.

Root pitched the complete game for Mason, striking out six batters on the day.

For Stuart, Jennings pointed out the “stellar” play of senior catcher Christina Tep, solid defense by junior shortstop Gina Mansour and a double play turned by Thach, Hall and sophomore Somarly Ua.

“All around, the team is improving and we look forward to the rest of the season,” Jennings said.

The Raiders returned to action Wednesday night with a game at Edison High School. Results of the game were not available at press time. The Raiders next face Mt. Vernon High School on Friday at Wakefield Park.

Mason will attempt to pick up its first win when the team travels to take on Rappahannock in the Mustangs’ inaugural game of the Bull Run District schedule. The Mustangs also square off with Strasburg next Tuesday, April 17.