Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Game 1 Box Score (PDF)
Game 2 Box Score (PDF)

FAIRFAX, Va. -- For the second straight day to open the season, the Cornell softball team split a doubleheader, dropping Rider 2-0 in game one before dropping a 3-2 contest to George Mason. The Big Red end week one with a 2-2 overall mark.

After struggling a bit in the circle on day one of the 2012 season, Cornell had a strong showing in the first game of day two behind Alyson Onyon. The sophomore scattered two hits and two walks in the complete game victory over Rider. She struck out a career-high seven batters.

Cornell only had four hits themselves, but made two first inning runs stand up. Lauren Bucolo led off with a walk, followed by a free pass to Jenny Edwards. Kristen Towne drilled a single to left to score Bucolo, followed by a wild pitch that brought Edwards to the plate. Each of the top four hitters in the lineup had a hit.

The Big Red staved off a rally by the Broncs in the sixth, throwing a runner out at the plate from right to keep the lead at 2-0.

Cornell had nine hits in the nightcap, but couldn't plate the game-tying run late against the host school. Erin Belles was 2-for-3 with a home run and Erica Gaeta also had two hits in thre at bats. Jenna Stoller and Lauren Marx only allowed two earned runs and struck out 12 in seven innings in taking the hard-luck loss.

The Big Red took an initial 1-0 lead by striking in the first with some two-out magic. Towne and Belles each singled before Gaeta drove in the initial run with a single to center.

Mason came back with a run in the fourth and two more in the sixth to take a 3-1 lead before Belles drove a pitch to left for her first homer of the season. THe Big Red nearly rallied in the seventh, getting a pair of hits. Consecutive hits by Sam Creamer and Morgan Cawley opened the inning, but pinch-runner Katie Watts was thrown out at third base on Cawley's hit. That was as close as the visitors would get to scoring.