FAIRFAX, Va. – The Georgetown University softball team defeated local rival George Mason 9-6 on Wednesday afternoon at the George Mason Softball Complex. The Hoyas scored five runs in the seventh inning to get the victory in their final nonconference game of the 2019 season. With the win, GU advances to 12-31 overall while the Patriots fall to 19-24.
 
Three Hoyas recorded a pair of hits on the day, including sophomore Savannah Jones (San Rafael, Calif. / Terra Linda) and junior Alexa Dolby (Round Hill, Va. / Woodgrove), who had three RBIs and two runs, respectively. Junior Noelle Holiday (Bear, Del. / Red Lion Christian Academy) rounded out the players with two hits, which included her 10th double this year, and a recorded pair of RBIs. Additionally, freshman Mae Forshey (Phoenix, Ariz. / Arcadia) recorded her ninth double along with three RBIs.
 
Freshman Cassie Henning (Atlanta, Ga. / Wesleyan) threw the first 6.2 innings for the Hoyas and was relieved by junior Katie Vannicola (Vienna, Va. / James Madison HS) in the final inning to get the last out in the victory. Henning allowed six runs off of 10 hits in the circle and walked a pair. Vannicola picked up her first save of the season and struck out one batter.
 
The Hoyas took an early lead in their first at-bat of the game. Sophomore Macy Cartwright (Naples, Fla. / Naples) landed on base after getting hit by a pitch and Jones then moved her to third with a sacrifice bunt. With Holiday in the third spot in the lineup, she blasted one over the second baseman's head and scored Cartwright to take the 1-0 lead.
 
The Patriots tied it up in the bottom of the first on a sacrifice fly. With the top of the order back on deck for GU in the third inning, the Blue & Gray took back its lead. Jones landed on base with a pop up that was dropped in the infield and moved to second on a passed ball. Holiday then brought Jones from second to home with a powerful hit past the third baseman, making it 2-1.
 
In the bottom of the fifth and a runner on second for George Mason, the Patriots doubled down the middle and scored the runner on home to tie it up 2-2. With two runners on base from a double and an intentional walk, Cartwright made a crucial catch in left field to end the inning and held GMU from scoring.
 
With bases loaded and one out in the top of the sixth, Jones singled down the middle and brought in senior Kelly Amen (Hillsborough, N.J. / Hillsborough) and Dolby on base to take a 4-2 lead. Georgetown had many other opportunities to score in the top of the sixth, but a smart Patriots defense got the runner out at home to prevent GU from extending the lead anymore.
 
As GMU looked to tie it up again in the bottom of the sixth, Cartwright made another spectacular catch in left field to get the out. In the same inning, the Patriots doubled to shallow right field to make it a one-run game.
 
Back-to-back errors by George Mason in the top of the seventh allowed freshman Kiki Besnard (Irvine, Calif. / Northwood) and Amen on base. With runners on second and third, Henning got the out at first but scored Besnard from third to make it 5-3. Another fielding error by GMU loaded the bases for the Blue & Gray and Jones then singled down the middle and allowed Amen to put another run on the board. With bases still loaded, Forshey found a gap in the outfield to double to and brought in all the runners on base to score to extend the lead to 9-3.
 
A late rally from the Patriots in the bottom of the seventh put three more runs on the board for them and forced a GU pitching change. With one out left to go, Vannicola struck out the final batter and sealed the victory 9-6.
 
Up next, the Blue & Gray will remain on the road and travel to Seton Hall in South Orange, New Jersey for its final BIG EAST road series this season. GU will play three games against the Pirates beginning on Saturday with a doubleheader starting at noon and a single game on Sunday at noon. Live stats will be available at GUHoyas.com.