Four Game Road Trip Unkind to Mustangs
With a schedule that included a stretch of four games in four days beginning last Wednesday, the last thing the Mason High varsity baseball team wanted was an extra-innings game that would further tax their pitching staff. But last Wednesday night against Briar Woods, that’s exactly what the Mustangs got, ultimately winning in nine innings by a score of 10-7.
Trailing 6-5 in the top of the seventh inning, senior Byron Mendenhall reached on a single and eventually scored on a squeeze bunt by Matt Dorr to tie the game. In the top of the ninth, singles by Alex Prewitt, Dorr and Mike Straub and a sacrifice fly by Lex Layton gave the Mustangs the winning margin.
With the hard-earned win under their belts, the Mustangs traveled to face Strasburg the next night, only to lose 5-4 following a disastrous sixth inning. With two outs and the bases loaded, a miscommunication in the infield allowed what a fly ball to fall in and two runs to score, knotting the score at four runs apiece before a balk gave the Rams what would eventually become the winning run.
The loss was doubly painful as Mendenhall, the Mustangs’ top starting pitcher and last year’s Bull Run District Play of the Year, left in the sixth inning with a possible arm injury that kept him off the mound for both of his team’s next two games.
With its pitching staff taxed even further, Mason dropped its final two games of the four-game stretch, 6-0 to Madison County on Friday and 1-0 to Potomac School on Saturday, despite strong efforts on the mound by senior starter Will Marshall (four hits in five innings) and reliever Joe Muskett.
The Mustangs did notch their first win in the Bull Run District this season, beating Clarke County on the road 5-1 on Tuesday evening. Mendenhall returned to the mound and combined with Straub and Jimmy Piscopo to hold the opposition to just two hits, while the trio struck out 14 Clarke County batters in the game.
Piscopo led the team at the plate as well, going 2-for-4 with 2 RBI.
The win improves the Mustangs to 6-6 overall on the year and moves them to 1-3 in the Bull Run District. The team returns home this Thursday to face the Broad Run Spartans at 5 p.m.
Offensive Explosion Earns GMHS First ‘W’ of 2007
An offensive outburst of 20 runs paced the George Mason High School girls varsity softball team to its first victory of the season, 20-12 over Notre Dame in a home game Monday, April 23. The entire Mason High lineup recorded a base hit on the day, highlighted by a two-run home run by Mason freshman catcher Wendy Herbst. Junior Kate Root and senior Lisa Razzi combined on the mound in the shortened game for the Mustangs. The duo combined for seven strikeouts in the win.
The victory improves Mason to a record of 1-7 in what has been a trying year for the team. In the team’s seven losses, the Mustangs have scored a combined nine runs, making Monday’s 20-run explosion all the more notable.
Mason High next faces Manassas Park at home on Thursday, April 26 at 5 p.m.
Jags Go 1-2 Against Arlington Foes
The Falls Church High School boys varsity baseball team made the rounds against the Arlington schools last weekend and emerged with a record of 1-2, losing 9-5 to Yorktown and Washington-Lee 7-1 but then besting Wakefield 6-1 on Monday, April 23.
Against the W-L Generals, Bobby Stefanowicz went 3-for-3 with the lone Jaguar RBI, while David Acosta pitched Falls Church to victory against Wakefield going the distance and striking out 14 batters.
FCHS traveled to Edison for a Wednesday night game, but results were not available at press time.
Langley Edges Marshall on Hard Courts
The Marshall High School girls varsity tennis team tried to rally on the road in doubles competition against Liberty District opponent Langley, but fell just short in a 5-4 decision Tuesday, April 24. Amanda Crider and Marlecia Fuller secured wins for the Statesmen in singles competition at No. 3 and No. 5 respectively, then paired up to win their doubles match 10-0. The No. 3 doubles team of Christina Nguyen and Lauren Hopwood claimed their match 10-4.
After OT Win, Titans Top Mason
After suffering its first loss of the season to T.C. Williams last week, the George Mason High School girls varsity lacrosse team rebounded with a one-goal, overtime victory over Briar Woods on the road last Thursday night. The Mustangs got two goals apiece from Bailey Walton, Sally Blakemore and Hannah Baumgartner, while Allie Atkeson, Catherine Duarte and Courtney Ready each added one.
Monday night’s away game against the Dominion Titans did not have such a happy ending, with the Mustangs losing 11-2. It was the first loss of the season for the Mustangs in the Dulles District.
Emily Perry made 19 saves in net for Mason, while Blakemore and Duarte accounted for the goals.
The Mustangs return home for a game against Liberty this Thursday night at 7:30 p.m.
