Broadside Sports

By Accaiya Evans, Broadside Correspondent

The men’s and women’s track and field program at George Mason University has a rich tradition and a successful history.

In the past, the men’s and women’s teams were separate programs, with a separate set of coaches and two different itineraries each season. Practicing together was not common, and traveling together was taboo, but they supported each other during their spare time.

This current season is the third season since the two programs joined forces, and it has brought much success to the unification of each team.

Meet the coach
Assistant Coach Abigi Id-Deen is in his fourth year as a coach here at Mason. He experienced one year with just the men’s program and has been a part of the merger ever since.

In the sport of track and field, every team has a few athletes that stand out amongst competition, and those who perform well in individual sports. But the track program at Mason has been successful across the board thus far this season.

According to Id-Deen, there have been many factors that have played a major part in the speedy success of the newly combined team.

The team ranges evenly from freshmen to seniors; however, the coach credited most of the success to the growth and maturity he sees overall.

“This year’s combination of athletes is much better than before,” said Id-Deen. “This group has been by far the best group since I joined the coaching staff at Mason.”

Unlike before, the team has been able to place quality athletes in almost every event.

They have had two and three competitors, both men and women, respectively, in most events including the pole vault and all of the jumps.

The depth of the team has been another key factor as it allowed the women to place third in the indoor ECAC Invitational and the men to place second, only losing by four points, in the IC4A Invitational.

During the indoor season, both of these track meets are the last on the schedule and are ultimately an athlete’s highest level of competition.

Mason has had participants leave their mark in several events; however they have proven themselves well in the mile relay on both the men’s and women’s teams.

The mile relay, also known as the 4×400-meter relay, has always been a favored event to watch and coach over the years. Id-Deen has had the daunting task of putting together the mile relay team.

One cannot just throw together the best four athletes on the track when it comes to this event. One athlete may have performed better during the previous week.

A big meet brings a lot of pressure, and all athletes run differently in different situations, which ultimately affects the outcome of a relay.

The combination of runners on a relay team can change from day to day, and sometimes a decision is made only hours before the event. However, coach Id-Deen has thus far successfully put together both great men’s and women’s teams.

The men’s team finished the indoor season 7th overall in the country when they participated in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Championships back in March. The women’s team is currently ranked 14th in the country during this outdoor season.

Meet the runners
Two consistent participants of the men’s and women’s mile relay teams are juniors Kevin Wilson and Tiara Swindell. They are both key assets to their respective teams.

Swindell believes that the team’s chemistry and focus, regardless of what four athletes are on the relay, is key to what they have accomplished so far.

Swindell brings versatility to her team as she runs the second leg of the relay during the indoor season and the anchor leg during the outdoor season.
When running the second leg of the relay, her main focus is positioning the team to win. When running the anchor leg, she must focus on having a strong finish.

“As far as being the anchor leg, you have to leave everything you have all on the track for the team no matter the circumstances,” said Swindell. “Track athletes are the first to have all this passion, but then the first to have bodily ailments.”

Wilson, a strong force on the men’s side, attributed the team’s success to each individual on the relay. Wilson likes how every individual holds himself accountable and knows that members of the team are depended on by others to do well overall. Wilson is always the first leg on the mile relay team.

Wilson sees his role as setting the team up, as well as placing them in great position to win. Wilson, honored as the GoMason athlete of the month for March, was a part of the successful mile relay team at the Indoor NCAA Championship meet.

“We are more like a family and brothers than just teammates,” said Wilson. “This is the key to our team chemistry, which contributes to our overall success. Before each race, we always say ‘Let’s go put Mason on the map.’”

Both the men’s and women’s mile relay teams look forward to their best performances this year as they will compete in the upcoming Colonial Athletic Association Tournament.

The CAA meet will be held here at Mason on April 30 and May 1.

By Brian T. Chan, Sports Editor

Commanding in chief
The George Mason University softball team took advantage of two errors by scoring four runs in the first inning as the Patriots held on to win 6-3 over the George Washington Colonials on Wednesday at Mount Vernon Field in Washington, D.C.

The Patriots, winners of five of their past six games, improved to 13-17 on the season, while the Colonials, losers of 15 of their last 16, dropped to 5-26 overall. Mason matched a season-best six-game stretch where they won five games last month. The Patriots won on the road for the first time all season. Their last road win came last year against the same team.

Mason shot out of the gates with a leadoff double from sophomore second baseman Tori Dudley, and sophomore center fielder Alyssa See reached base on an error from Colonials junior third baseman Katie Terrazas, scoring Dudley on the play.

After sophomore shortstop Rachael Davies walked, Terrazas committed another error as sophomore first baseman Katie Rynex advanced to second base, leading Colonials Head Coach Kim Staehle to make the early switch, moving Terrazas to first base for freshman Tara Fogarty. The error allowed See to score from second base and Davies to move to third base.

Freshman third baseman Megan Blank, who had a hit in four of the last five games, knocked in two runs with a single.

Rynex extended Mason’s lead to 5-0 with an RBI double in the second inning; after a two-run fourth inning from the Colonials, Mason added one more run as junior catcher Kara Weiner reached base on a fielding error with two outs, scoring Rynex from third base.

George Washington scored a run in the sixth inning, but Patriots sophomore pitcher Miranda Cranford easily sat down three batters in the seventh inning to preserve the win for Mason.

Senior starting pitcher Becky Anderson earned the win for Mason, improving to 7-3 after tossing two innings and allowing just one hit. The relief pitchers struck out a total of eight batters, four apiece from Cranford and freshman pitcher Amanda Buffington.

Freshman starting pitcher Elaine Nescio was on the losing end after yielding five runs on three hits in two innings, but with the poor defensive support, Nescio allowed just one earned run. Nescio also struck out five batters, three of whom came from the first inning. Sophomore pitcher Heidi Penna pitched five solid innings as she struck out six while allowing two hits and one run.

For Mason, the offense managed only five hits, but the team was able to take advantage of the Colonials’ five errors. Rynex and Blank each had two RBIs, and the first four batters scored all of the team’s runs.

The two teams will face off again at the end of the month in Fairfax. The Patriots traveled to Philadelphia for a three-game set against the Drexel Dragons. Both teams are currently fighting for fourth in the CAA standings.

Mason’s effort falls short
The George Mason University women’s lacrosse team battled with the No. 16 Hofstra Pride for most of the game on Friday, cutting the Pride’s lead to one with over 12 minutes left in regulation. But the Pride prevailed in the end, winning 12-9 at George Mason Stadium.

The Patriots fell to 3-10 overall and remained winless at 0-3 while the Pride improved to 9-3 on the season with a 3-0 record in the Colonial Athletic Association. Mason lost for the sixth consecutive time, failing to record a win since March 24 when the team defeated the American Eagles in Washington, D.C. The Patriots have not won a home match since a 9-7 win against the George Washington Colonials on March 3.

The Pride never trailed in the game, but the Patriots kept the contest close throughout. Senior midfielder Corrine Gandolfi led off the game with two assists, giving the Pride the early 2-0 lead. Junior attacker Madalyn Jamison tallied Mason’s first goal at the 25:49 mark. After the teams traded goals, senior midfielder Liz Falco scored consecutively as Hofstra regained the momentum with a 5-2 lead.

Junior attacker Callie Hoyt closed the gap to 5-4 with two goals, but Gandolfi scored her third and fourth goals of the game, helping the Pride to a 7-4 halftime lead.

The second half was a hotly contested battle between the Patriots and the Pride as each team scored five goals in the remaining 30 minutes. Jamison’s goal with 12:39 left in the game put Mason within one goal again at 10-9. Scoring four of the five goals in a 10-minute span, Mason had the upper hand, but that was soon ended less than two minutes later as senior midfielder K’Leigh Vanaman registered a goal and added a late goal to seal the win for Hofstra.

Mason battled closely with the Pride, but was unable to go over the top, which would have been an impressive upset. Jamison led the Patriots with three goals and three assists, and Hoyt contributed two goals in the losing effort. Senior goalkeeper Sara Longobucco allowed 12 goals while saving 10 shots.

Gandolfi and Vanaman recorded three goals apiece, and Falco had a multi-goal game to lead the Pride to another win. Senior goalkeeper Mary Cuddihy earned the win after saving five shots and allowing eight goals.

The Patriots hosted the Drexel Dragons on Sunday at George Mason Stadium. The team has one home game remaining when they take on the Old Dominion Monarchs on Sunday at 1 p.m.

By Fernanda Bartels, Staff Writer

Being part of the George Mason University men’s volleyball team is being part of a big family. Strong bonds are created on and off the court, and team members consider each other brothers.

With freshman outside hitter Patrick Maloney joining the roster this season, the description “brother” becomes literal. Patrick is senior libero and outside hitter Luke Maloney’s younger brother. Patrick started playing volleyball under Luke’s influence.

“I started playing my freshman year of high school,” said Patrick. “Basically, Luke kept pestering me about it over, over and over. He told me I should at least try it for a couple of days, and then I went out and tried it.”

Even though Luke was a senior in high school when Patrick was a freshman, the Maloney brothers never had the chance to play volleyball together before.

“We didn’t [play together in high school],” said Luke. “He was a freshman and had never played before, and my team was pretty good. If he started one year earlier, he probably would have started for us. It’s kind of a bummer, but [playing with Patrick in college] makes up for it.”

As a senior and key player on the team, Luke represents experience and carries the past of the men’s volleyball program. Patrick and his classmates look to build up a future of victories for the team.

After finishing his high school career on a high note, Luke joined the Patriots in 2007, making an immediate impact on the team. In 2008, he was named Second-Team EIVA All-East. Last season, Luke was ranked 21st in the nation in aces per set.

“I think Patrick’s class and lower are going to be the guys that bring back the EIVA championship for us,” said Luke. “They are going to be the ones that get to go to the NCAAs, and I’m super excited to watch it. I am kind of jealous, because I wish I could be there too. But, you know, you have to look at it like I paid my dues and my dues in turn paid for what they are going to do.”

Hard work and brotherhood are the foundations of the men’s volleyball team.

“I definitely like the camaraderie that the team has,” said Patrick. “Whenever I see someone on campus, it’s always a big smile. Also, I was really surprised by the level that is upheld in practice on a daily basis. Everyone is always hustling. If you don’t touch a ball, you’ll get yelled at.”

As Patrick continues to adapt to the team and build his collegiate career, Luke looks back on his Mason years to advise Patrick.

“Relish it when you can,” Luke said to Patrick. “Take a step back and really evaluate what you have; don’t take anything for granted. I think it is important, when you are standing in Ohio State’s gym, to just take a look at the court, and take a look at your jersey and say, ‘Wow. Not many people get this opportunity.’”

By Josh Apple, C2M Contributor

The George Mason University Roller Hockey club, in just its second year of existence, recently competed in the 2010 Collegiate Roller Hockey Championships. The event was held for just 16 teams at the Silver Creek Sportsplex in San Jose, Calif. from April 7-11.

Despite winning just three games one year ago, the squad was an impressive 13-3 during the regular season with 12 consecutive victories.

They were 4-3-2 in the Southeastern Collegiate Roller Hockey League playoffs prior to their journey to California.

“Playing at Nationals was a whole slew of emotions,” said the 21-year-old captain Naseer Rashid. “It was a new experience for all of us playing at a different rink, and more so in such a big event.”

The team played four games during its stay in San Jose and returned home with a 1-2-1 record. In its opening contest, the team fell to Rowan 9-5. In its next game, the team tied a very strong Tampa team.

They then captured a 7-5 victory over the Metropolitan State College of Denver in their next contest, before losing to UC San Diego in overtime to be eliminated.

“My proudest moment from this year was the game at Nationals against Tampa,” said Rashid. “Our first game as a club was last year against them and they walked all over us, 11-0. That game set the story for the rest of the year for us, and Tampa went on to win the Southeast Region two years in a row. But this year, we tied them, and it showed how far the team has come.”

Rashid, a forward for the Patriots and a systems engineering major, has been playing roller hockey on and off since high school, but he began his competitive career just one year ago during the team’s inaugural season. He is not one of the team’s leaders statistically, but he plays a very important role for the squad as the captain.

“Captains can be a lot of things,” said Rashid. “They can give the big speech before the game, be the best player or a number of other things. I try to get things going for the team. I help organize team workouts, make sure everyone’s ready for practices and games and play as hard as I can.”

Rashid started the team along with Dan Brooks, John Liebold and Alex Spitzel. He is proud of how this team has progressed from a three-win team in its first year to a national contender in its second. Rashid sees the quick turnaround as resulting from both the increased talent-level and the better
attitudes of the players.

Admittedly, Rashid usually leaves the big speeches to Spitzel, a senior and sport management major with lots of hockey experience.

Although the Patriots were just 4-3-2 at Regionals, the squad’s strong regular season record and difficulty of schedule impressed the committee.

The upperclassmen agree that the club’s turnaround has a lot to do with the new arrivals. The large freshman class — which included Andrew Lensing,
Cameron Lensing, Harrison Murdock, Jordan Pohl, Kyle Luukkonen and Mike Zyuzin — has brought the team to a whole new level.

“The young guys stay calm under pressure and are willing to do anything to help the team achieve success,” said Spitzel. “I can tell by the work they all put in that they are going to become good leaders one day. I feel good leaving the team in their hands.”

Another important contributor, sophomore Ryan Ellis, began playing roller hockey when he was just 7 years old. Ellis, a 20-year-old business marketing major and forward for the squad, decided to join the team not only to stay in shape, but also to meet new people and reunite with some of his hockey friends from high school.

“I was really excited to be at Nationals, and really had no expectations,” said Ellis. “We knew we had a chance to win, but as a second year team, we just had no expectations.”

All of the players were just happy to be selected to go to Nationals, and entered the event with a nothing-to-lose mindset. Not only was the team founded just one year ago, but they have a limited practice schedule as well.

They typically practice just once a week on Thursday nights; however, when tournaments such as Regionals or Nationals are in the near future, they do increase the practice load to twice a week.

“After last years’ 3-13 season, we really turned the team around,” said Ellis. “It was an honor to play with everyone on the team, whether they are a fifth-year student or a freshman. No matter how it ended, it was a great ride.”

John Haislip, a 21-year-old sophomore and business management major, has also been on the roller hockey team for both years of its existence, and has been playing for 11 years overall.

“Just to make it to Nationals is enough to make me happy after only winning two or three games last year,” said Haislip. “And I know we will be obtaining even more talented skaters next year.”

With an appearance to Nationals in just its second season, the team’s optimism is running high.

Members also expect more freshmen to join the squad next season, adding even more talent to the already skilled team.

“This team will be returning to Nationals for a long time,” said Rashid. “We’ve started to make our presence both in the nation and at [Mason]. We’ve set up a team with veteran talent and a young core, and we’re always looking for something to improve on. It’s part of our competitive nature.”

By John Powell, Asst. Sports Editor

There is a difference between coaching and managing, but neither a coach nor a manager can teach the intangibles.

Coaches have to teach the game to players; managers merely have to get all the moving parts to work together.

Now managers cannot be in high school or intramural or club teams because their focus is on teaching how the game is supposed to be played.

You might think that coaches have less to concern themselves with because of how little they are comparatively given, but they certainly have the hardest job in all of baseball.

Now that I have started to coach at my old high school in Fredericksburg, Va., it kills me to watch a bad play unfold.

When I was on the field, I could talk the team up, get some screaming going in the dugout and keep the emotions high everywhere.

When my friend and I were in the dugout, you seldom heard us silent.

From the coach’s viewpoint, you can teach guys where they are supposed to be on a play, how they need to think ahead of the play and you can try to keep them at a high level of intensity, but team chemistry must come from the team first, not top-down.

The coach has a bit of a manager in him, too. Not only does he have to teach the players how to think and how to execute properly, but he also has to effectively put a field and a lineup together so that everyone can work together to win a game.

Needless to say, I now have so much more respect for what my coaches had to deal with when I was playing ball in high school.

They had to get the leaders of the team to lead the team. That sounds easy, but it is incredibly difficult.

I am new to the whole coaching thing and I feel the old player in me come out sometimes.

I find it awful that I am sometimes the loudest one in the dugout or the only one trying to get the infield to talk.

In baseball, communication is key — not just to let everyone know where you are and what is going on, but to reinforce that team chemistry on the field.

I have watched some teams play now and thought to myself, “Something has changed.”

It is not always the level of competition, but the aggressiveness and the chemistry of the team. I have played teams that scared me the moment I stepped on the field because of how they acted.

My mission was to be so energized and vitalized that the other team thought I could do anything.
When I played Babe Ruth baseball, it really was for the fun of the game (but one coach did not get that message).

When I played in high school, it was the pinnacle of my day. I wanted nothing more than to practice the game, much less get in on the action during a game.

So this goes out to anyone who currently plays sports: Be intense, stay loud and intimidate the other team.

Some people love art, and others love music. If you love what you are doing, play like it; leave your heart on the field and never have any regrets.

By Brian T. Chan, Sports Editor

Senior starting pitcher Becky Anderson continued her mastery over Maryland schools. In her latest outing, Anderson had a no-hit bid with two outs in the fifth inning, but was unable to register her second no-hitter of the season.

Regardless, the George Mason University softball team went on to sweep the Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks on Wednesday at the George Mason Softball Complex by a score of 8-0 in both games.

The Patriots snapped a six-game losing streak to improve to 11-16 on the season while the Hawks fell to 1-17. After losing her last two decisions, Anderson was back in the win column, improving to 4-3 on the season.

While Anderson was dominant throughout the first game of the doubleheader, the Mason offense was looking to respond after an abysmal showing in its last five games, having been shut out in four of those games.

The team entered the day with just one run in the past 33 innings and struggled in the early going as they were blanked in the first two innings on Wednesday.

The Patriots ended their misery as they put up four runs in the third inning and never looked back.

Freshman third baseman Megan Blank led off the inning with an infield single and later scored on a two-out single from freshman catcher Emily Lafferty. Mason added three unearned runs in the inning to push the lead to 4-0.

Blank got on with a leadoff walk in the bottom of the fourth inning and stole second base. Sophomore shortstop Rachael Davies drove Blank in with a single to center field.

Sophomore first baseman Katie Rynex singled, advancing Davies to third base. Mason had both runners in scoring position as Rynex swiped second base, achieving her third steal of the season.

Lafferty singled up the middle, scoring both runners and extending Mason’s lead to 7-0. Junior left fielder Stephanie Strother added Mason’s eighth run with an RBI groundout.

Anderson allowed a hit batsmen in the first four innings and was seeking her second career no-hitter. After inducing a groundball from senior catcher Ashley Johnson and recording her sixth strikeout of the game on junior center fielder Kyrus Whitehurst, the Hawks sent freshman pinch hitter Shanice Crowder to the plate to end Anderson’s no-hit bid.

On a 1-0 pitch, Crowder hit the ball to third base side and reached first base safely.

The Patriots sealed the deal as Hawks sophomore first baseman Britney McLeod, who re-entered the game after the Crowder single, was caught stealing.

Lafferty revved the Mason offense with two hits and three RBIs and scored two runs. Each of the first seven hitters in the lineup recorded a hit. Blank and Rynex each went 1-for-2 with two runs.

Sophomore starting pitcher Miranda Cranford took the hill in the second game and threw a solid two-hit shutout to earn her fourth win of the season.

Cranford struck out two batters without issuing a walk. While Cranford starred on the mound, the offense backed her with run support.

Mason jumped to a 1-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI double from Rynex. The Patriots added two runs in the third and fourth frames.

Rynex again was part of a run-scoring play as she singled up the middle to score sophomore second baseman Tori Dudley from second base.

Rynex easily scored on a triple from Blank. Sophomore center fielder Alyssa See registered an RBI on a fielder’s choice, and Rynex drove her third run of the game with a sacrifice fly.

The Patriots scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning as See’s two-run single capped the sweep. Mason won back-to-back for the first time since March 21.

Freshman third baseman Jacqueline Harris had a tremendous second collegiate game as she recorded her first hit of her career in the second inning, a single to left field.

Harris later singled to center field in the fourth inning and scored the first run in Mason’s three-run fifth inning. Harris also recorded four assists on defense.

Rynex led the offense with a 2-for-2 and three-RBI day, and See added three RBIs to provide the offensive spark. Freshman right fielder Samantha Barney contributed two hits to the Patriots’ hit parade.

Mason scored eight runs and recorded eight hits in both games on Wednesday. The Patriots were helped by a plethora of miscues from the Hawks.

Sophomore pitcher Inde Whitehurst and junior pitcher Ebony Hahn had two wild pitches apiece, and Johnson was unable to prevent a total of five passed balls in the game.

The Patriots hosted the Towson Tigers over the weekend, splitting the doubleheader on Saturday.

By Kimmy Moss, Broadside Correspondent

You may know me as the future 800-meter U.S. Olympian in the 2012 London Games, as you may have read in the paper a few weeks ago. While it is quite an accomplishment, considering the fact that I was able to qualify easily, one must ask, “Really? Craigslist?”

Before I go any further, though, please, please tell me that you realized the article published two weeks ago about how I’ll be competing in the 2012 Summer Olympics was completely false. Other than lifting the minivan over my head, that is.

Obviously, that was fabricated too. Regardless, how cool would that be?

Anyway, just to clarify: hopefully you were clued in to the fact that the Olympics article I was featured in was published in the Roadside, a parody of Broadside, as an April Fools’ week treat. And hopefully you enjoyed it.

Even though, from a personal standpoint, that article only slapped me in the face with the reality that I have not reached a lifelong dream to participate in the Olympics — thanks a lot, Roadside — it has, on the bright side, provided a nice transition for me to start writing for Broadside.

However, before I begin, I will tell you all a little more about myself. As a communication major at George Mason University with a concentration in journalism, I do a fair amount of writing for all of my classes.

My interest in journalism goes back to my high school days, where I served as the sports editor of my school paper, The Spartan.

While I enjoy writing all types of articles, including news, sports and feature stories, the part I enjoy the most is interacting with other people to create the foundation behind any story.

Actually, that is probably a lie. What I honestly enjoy more than anything else is running and playing soccer. But I will admit that collecting my thoughts and writing about things that will spark interest from others is something I like to do with the time I have lef over from working out.

Simply stated, what I really hope to get out of future columns is to make people smile. Sports are fun, and athletes are funny, whether they intend to be or not. I hope to capture the quirkiness and excitement behind the little things that happen in sports, and to share this experience with you in this column.

In actuality, I feel that the pleasure in participating in any sport comes from the process, not the outcome.

By Brian T. Chan, Sports Editor

Sophomores Rachael Davies and Tori Dudley may not ride a tandem bicycle, but the two coalesce as a formidable pair of middle infielders for the George Mason University softball team.

While Davies and Dudley continue to develop for one of the emerging teams in the Colonial Athletic Association, the two players offer distinct resumes prior to their arrival at Mason.

Davies, the shortstop, had a torrid start to the 2010 season, where she batted a then CAA-leading .471 in the first 12 games.

Since then, she has cooled off as her batting average dipped to .343, but she remains a key player on the team’s offense, leading the team with a .443 slugging percentage and 59 assists on defense.

Davies is one of the local products, hailing from Manassas, Va. after having played four years at Osbourn Park High School. While receiving offers from Monmouth University, East Tennessee State University and James Madison University, Davies felt that Mason was more suitable for her.

Davies had excelled at Osbourn Park, being named to the all-district first team and all-region second team three times in her four-year career.

Davies batted a career line of .400 during that span. Although being a standout athlete, Davies’ journey began when she was 3 years old.

“My grandfather was teaching me to play baseball, and I would go in the backyard and throw buckets of baseballs since 3,” said Davies. “I’ve never stopped [since then].”

While the sport has been a large part of her life, Davies states that her unique skill is her energy. With that, Davies has shown her all-around ability at the plate or on the field.

Last year, Davies led the team with 36 hits and 24 RBIs. Additionally, she hit two homeruns while scoring a total of 20 runs. On defense, Davies recorded a team-leading 104 assists, but she was also charged with a team-worst 24 errors and had the team’s lowest fielding percentage at .861 among starters. Her most embarrassing softball moment came on a fielding drill last year.

“It was in the middle of warm-ups, and I was just fielding a regular groundball; I basically just stepped on myself and fell face forward,” said Davies.

This year, Davies has shown improvements, making more contact at the plate. Her batting average is nearly 100 points higher than last year’s.

“I’m just focusing on seeing the ball and getting extra work,” said Davies. “I worked harder this year than last year. Every year, I’m just trying to build [off each season].”

Most of all, Davies has improved her defensive play at the keystone position, fielding at a .949 rate and committing just five defensive errors. She continues to look for improvement with her double play partner in Dudley.

“Every game, we’re getting stronger and stronger, and we’re just starting to mold better,” said Davies.

Dudley, on the other hand, was first acquainted with Mason in her junior year of high school while she was at a recruiting camp in Las Vegas. A number of factors influenced her decision to attend Mason.

“Mostly, it was the academics because I’m a nursing major,” said Dudley. “Then, with the softball team, I knew I was going to have a chance to do something with the team.”

Dudley, the second baseman, is one of two Mason softball players coming from the West Coast. From Maple Valley, Wash., Dudley competed in softball and volleyball at Tahoma High School. She earned second-team all-conference honors in her senior year. While Dudley has traveled a far distance to play for Mason, she feels that the team bonding has provided a positive experience.

In addition to playing volleyball, Dudley enjoys dancing and hanging out with friends.

Last year, Dudley played a major role on offense, leading the team with a .285 batting average, .348 on-base percentage and 52 total bases as the cleanup hitter. Dudley primarily served as the third baseman, a position in which she committed 21 errors.

This year, however, Dudley returned to a familiar position — the leadoff spot in the lineup.

“I actually hit leadoff going up until I got to Mason, so it was kind of coming back home to me as opposed to the 4 spot, which was new,” said Dudley. “Last year, I had to see a lot more pitches; I wasn’t going to get a lot to hit in the 4 spot as well as a leadoff, and the pitching was a lot tougher hitting before than the leadoff.”

In 47 at-bats, Dudley is hitting just .255, but her .453 on-base percentage is by far a team best.

Dudley leads the team with 12 runs, but entering the weekend series against the Towson Tigers, Mason remained at a minus-34-run margin. Dudley remains an asset to Mason at the leadoff slot.

Dudley has also made great strides on her defensive play, recording a .932 fielding percentage with 35 putouts and 34 assists.

As the team continues to look for improvements on both sides of the field, Dudley’s development will be a crucial part of the team’s ability to grow in years to come. For Dudley, it is important to play the game a certain way.

“This game has to be played relaxed,” said Dudley. “If you’re uptight, you’re going to make mistakes and you’re not going to get the results you want.”

Last year, Davies and Dudley combined for 45 of the team’s 100 errors, and each had a sub-par fielding percentage, but this year, they have committed a combined 10 errors, leading to respectable fielding percentages.

With a potent offense and an improved defense, Davies and Dudley establish a deadly duo in the middle infield.

By Brian T. Chan, Sports Editor

Senior starting pitcher Becky Anderson allowed a one-out single in the first inning and was untouchable after that as she recorded back-to-back one-hit performances, leading the George Mason University softball team to a 3-0 win over the Towson Tigers in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader.

Mason battled closely with the Tigers in the second game, but the Tigers mounted a five-run fifth inning to go on to win 9-1, splitting the doubleheader on Saturday.

The Patriots moved to 11-17 overall and 2-6 in the Colonial Athletic Association, while the Tigers went to 23-11 on the season and 6-2 in the conference.

Sophomore shortstop Rachael Davies launched a two-out solo homerun in the first inning for the Patriots.

That was the team’s only hit in the game.

After allowing the lone Towson hit in the first inning, Anderson completely shut down the opposing offense. In four games against Maryland schools, Anderson allowed just one earned run on six hits in 24 innings while striking out 22 batters.

In the latter game, sophomore starting pitcher Miranda Cranford threw valiantly from the mound, allowing just one run through four innings, but the Tigers were a handful in the fifth inning.

After yielding a leadoff triple, Cranford allowed the go-ahead single to junior shortstop Sammi DiPompo.

Towson totaled 14 hits in the second game, making up for the lackluster offense in the first game.

Junior left fielder Rachel Miller went 3-for-4 with an RBI. Senior second baseman Mindy Bean went 2-for-3 and drove in a game-high two runs.

Tigers starting pitcher Shannon Johnston threw for six innings and allowing one run on six hits while striking out five batters.

Cranford fell to 4-10 after allowing seven hits and three runs in four innings. Cranford helped the Mason offense, going 2-for-2 and driving in the only run in the second game.

The Patriots hit the road on Wednesday as they take on the George Washington Colonials.

The George Mason University baseball team made up for its lack of offense in the 1-0 loss on Friday by putting up nine runs and 14 hits on Saturday afternoon, but the team was unable to hold off the Old Dominion Monarchs in the 10-9 loss.

The Patriots took a 3-0 lead after three innings, but the Monarchs rallied to tie the game at 3 in the fourth inning. Mason put a three-spot in the bottom half of the inning, regaining the lead.

The Patriots’ rally fell short as they scored two runs in the bottom half of the inning. Senior third baseman Mark Hill hit a two-run homerun after senior shortstop Ryan Soares hit a one-out double down the right field line.

Hill, the team leader in on-base percentage with a .521 OBP, went 4-for-5 and cashed in three RBIs for Mason, which included his fourth homerun of the season.

By Brian T. Chan, Sports Editor

During warmups, the Washington Generals head coach had a message to the fans, the Harlem Globetrotters and the George Mason University basketball team. In a Michael Clarke Duncanesque voice, the coach stated that the Generals were going to humiliate the Globetrotters — humiliate them more than Mason’s own basketball team.

Currently in their 15th week of the 2010 Magical Memories tour of 216 cities, the Globetrotters made their way to Fairfax as they entertained the crowd at the Patriot Center on Saturday night.

In their 84th year of existence, the Globetrotters continue to provide crowd-pleasing entertainment as they have toured around the world over the years and played in over 25,000 games.

Several famous Globetrotters of the past ranged from collegiate basketball stars to former professional basketball players, including the great Wilt Chamberlain.

With the new wave of incoming players, the Globetrotters have continued to show the athletic and theatrical side of basketball.

Prior to the main event, the Globetrotters’ mascot Globie entertained the crowd with a game of musical chairs and a magical act.

At zero-hour, basketball returned to the Patriot Center as the players took center court. During warm-ups, each of the Globetrotters took turns wowing the crowd with amazing basketball tricks.

Leading the Globetrotters was the showman, Handles Franklin. A former player at Lock Haven University, Handles excelled in ball handling and was one of the school’s top passers. For Handles, it was his dream since age 6 to become a Harlem Globetrotter.

Other players included Airport Greenup, Dizzy Grant and Rocket Rivers.

The Globetrotters and Generals traded buckets throughout the first quarter; although the game was close for the first 10 minutes, the Generals head coach immediately went with his secret weapon, hypnotizing Dizzy in order to earn free points. After ending Dizzy’s spell with an amazing play, the Globetrotters ended the first period with a 20-18 lead.

Spark Clark emerged from the bench for the Globetrotters with back-to-back dunks, but during a timeout, the Generals coach hypnotized Clark to give the Generals the advantage. As Spark sat on the opposing bench sporting a Generals jacket, the Globetrotters regrouped to formulate a strategy.

With a man down, the Globetrotters attempted to break the spell, but the Generals went into halftime with a 36-34 lead.

The Globetrotters, however, rallied from the halftime deficit, outscoring the Generals 23-14 in the third period.

The Globetrotters went back to their razzle dazzle playing style in the fourth quarter as Handles continued pestering the referee, confusing him with a Foot Locker referee.

The Generals head coach used his secret weapon once again, putting Handles to sleep. Fast asleep at center court, the Globetrotters were able to withstand a late rally from the Generals.

In the closing seconds, the Globetrotters went up for one final slam dunk, sealing the game by a score of 67-59.

Once again, the Globetrotters came out on top.