by John Rodock – Special to the News-Press
On Friday, April 15 George Mason High School senior pitcher Julia Ferris tossed a 2-hit shutout and leadoff hitter Jules Carter scored three times as Coach Antonio Bravo’s Mustangs defeated district rival Rappahannock County on the road 12-0.
Carter opened the game with a sharp single to center, took second on a wild pitch, moved to third on a flyout, and scored what would prove to be the only run the Mustangs needed on another wild pitch. Jenna Short, the team’s RBI leader, followed with a single to left to score Ferris, who had walked.
In the bottom of the first Kayla Robey led off with a single, stole second and moved to third when the Panthers’ pitcher Sara Frye reached on an error. Then Frye stole second but Ferris struck out Emily Way to end the Panthers’ biggest threat of the game.
The Mustangs, leading 4-0, broke the game open with an 8-run sixth, as Frye struggled to maintain her control. Katie Mills was hit by a pitch, Rebecca Davis walked, and Sabrina Rodock singled to load the bases. A sac fly scored Mills, two more walks scored Davis, and Robey relieved Frye.
Ferris walked to score Rodock, Short was hit by a pitch to score Carter, and then Chelsea Lang drilled a bases-clearing double to left to make it 11-0.
The next two batters were hit by pitches, and a walk scored the twelfth run, at which point Bravo ordered two of his runners to leave their bases early and be called out to end the inning.
Ferris retired the last ten hitters she faced and struck out seven for the game. Katie Mills played stellar defense at third base, recording four assists on difficult plays.
Then on Monday, April 18 the Mustangs knocked off Seton of Manassas in a non-district game 12-2. Mason banged out 18 hits total and scored in every inning.
The offensive onslaught was led by Ferris (4-for-4, double, four RBIs, two runs), Tea Abbracciamento (3-for-4, double, two RBIs, two runs), Carter (single, four runs) and Short (3-for-4, double, two RBIs). Lang and Mary Grace Lizotte each had two singles, Rodock a triple, and Mills and Davis a single apiece.
Ferris worked three innings, fanning eight Conquistadors and walking none, and allowing only one baserunner. Reliever Jenna Short picked up a 2-inning save in her season debut, striking out two and giving up two unearned runs. When asked afterward if she was nervous, Short responded “No!”
The wins helped Mason grasp a winning record again at 5-4, albeit briefly. The Mustangs lost to William Monroe High School 6-0 on Tuesday, April 19 at William Monroe.
For the season, Ferris has a .630 batting average with a prodigious 1.037 slugging percentage and sports a 1.91 ERA with ten strikeouts per seven innings on the mound. The Mustangs play archrival Clarke County High School this Friday, April 22 at Mason.
