Sports

• Powell's Playbook: Racing with the Rednecks

  Sports April 5, 2010 at 1:21 pm Comments are Disabled

  By John Powell, Asst. Sports Editor I watched way too much Comedy Central on Saturday night, when this was written. I consider myself a southern boy and get a kick out everyone on the Blue Collar Comedy Tour (coming on April 24 to the Patriot Center, might I add). No jokes here, please. I did a Google search for “Larry the Cable Guy Baseball,” and was entertained by “Uncyclopedia” entries and YouTube videos. Honestly, everyone reading this column should be happy that I eventually stopped rooting for Kyle Busch in the Nashville 300 (he got third place, by the way, after getting his first win as a team owner in the truck series) to write this column for all my beloved readers. I put down my camouflage Atlanta Braves baseball cap, turned off NASCAR, tried not to move my arms much from my third farmer’s tan of the season and forced myself to think about college sports. My first thought was: “Wow, I had West Virginia in the championship game . . . and they lost in the Final Four. Well, now my bracket is officially dead.” My second thought was: “I bet if Larry the Cable Guy would have […]

   

• Always pitching to help: Becky Anderson: Senior contributes on and off the field

  Sports April 5, 2010 at 1:20 pm Comments are Disabled

  By Brian T. Chan, Sports Editor Senior Becky Anderson does not wear a mask or cape, but she is still a superhero in many respects. Whether pitching on the field for the George Mason University softball team or helping save homeless animals, Anderson exemplifies the key qualities of a student-athlete. Entering the 2010 season as one of the team’s two seniors, Anderson has played a smaller role on the pitching staff, paving the way for sophomore Miranda Cranford. Averaging 33 appearances in her first three years, Anderson has made six appearances as Mason nears the midway point of the season. While playing with a group of young pitchers, Anderson is on track for the best season of her collegiate career, sporting a 3-1 record with a 1.36 ERA. Through 36 innings, Anderson has been nearly unhittable, allowing opposing batters to hit just .167 off her. She recently demonstrated her dominance with her perfect game in Mason’s 5-0 win against the Morgan State Bears. Rhythmically sitting down batters one after another, Anderson had not attained the knowledge of her perfect game until the last inning of her masterpiece. “During the perfect game, I was just thinking that nobody has gotten hits, […]

   

• California dreamin’: Junior seeks to move westward after college

  Sports April 5, 2010 at 1:18 pm Comments are Disabled

  By Fernanda Bartels, Staff Writer Today, junior Lindsay Gray is in the pages of Broadside. Tomorrow, she will make headlines in Hollywood. Casted as one of the top players on the George Mason University women’s tennis team, Gray is an English major with a concentration in non-fiction writing, with a communication minor. Mason is the first stop on Gray’s journey to the world of entertainment. After graduation, the second stop will be California. “I want to move out to L.A,” said Gray. “It’s always been a dream of mine since I was little to be out in Hollywood. In the back of my mind, I want to be famous, but I understand that it is a really hard profession. It’s so competitive.” Gray is heading to California for the summer, where she will be interning for the second time with Dick Clark Productions. “I feel like getting out there, getting my feet wet,” said Gray. “Interning at Dick Clark Productions sort of gets me in the door a little bit, and [helps in] getting to know what they look for.” California dreams aside, Gray keeps herself busy during the school year with tennis, academics and extracurricular activities. Gray is the […]

   

• Mason gets last laugh: Lafferty provides Mason with a crucial hit and run

  Sports March 29, 2010 at 1:02 pm Comments are Disabled

  By Brian T. Chan, Sports Editor George Mason University softball Head Coach Joe Verbanic made a gutsy move in the fifth inning as he waved in freshman first baseman Emily Lafferty to give the Patriots an insurance run. That run proved to be the eventual game-winning run as Mason held off the James Madison Dukes 6-5 on Saturday afternoon at the George Mason Softball Complex, after losing the matinee game 5-0 in the conference opener. Despite losing three straight, the Dukes still came into the game as the favored team. After the Saturday split, Mason moved to 8-10 on the season while the Dukes went to 14-17. Dukes freshman starting pitcher Cara Stecher threw the second complete game shutout of her career, striking out three batters. Sophomore designated hitter Casey Mansfield had a perfect 3-for-3 day with three RBIs, putting the game away with a two-run single in the sixth inning. The Patriots, on the other hand, struggled to bring in a run, having a runner reach third base in each of the first six innings. Mason loaded the bases with two outs and came up empty-handed. “We were a little anxious at the plate, swinging a little bit early […]

   

• Gaining the spotlight: Mason Special Olympics seeks to gain recognition

  Sports March 29, 2010 at 1:01 pm Comments are Disabled

  By Fernanda Bartels, Staff Writer Some people may have seen the George Mason University Learning Into Future Environments (LIFE) Special Olympics program teams playing during halftime of basketball and soccer games. But only a few people know about the program and its success over the years. The Mason Special Olympics program started six years ago within the LIFE Program. Mason LIFE is a four-year program for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The LIFE Program has been in existence since 2001. The curriculum of the program covers a wide range of courses, from communication skills such as reading and writing to interacting and socializing with others. Mason LIFE’s four-year curriculum includes fitness and sports-related courses. Although the Mason LIFE curriculum introduces its students to the world of sports, the Special Olympics program has a different approach. The students enter the world of competitive sports, where team work and companionship lead to success on the court. “Special Olympics is their only avenue into sports, and [for] teaching them self reliance and camaraderie,” said Head Coach Leo Alonso, one of the three coaches of the Special Olympics program. By strengthening friendships and building character, the Special Olympics program has grown over the […]

   

• A rollercoaster finish: Baseball team’s rally falls short against the Dukes

  Sports March 29, 2010 at 1:00 pm Comments are Disabled

  By Cody Norman, Staff Writer The George Mason University baseball team scored 10 runs in the bottom of the eighth inning and forced extra innings in the first of a three-game set against the rival James Madison Dukes, but the Patriots were unable to complete the comeback, losing 21-16 on Friday night at Spuhler Field. The Patriots kicked off Colonial Athletic Association play on Friday afternoon, with a wild start and finish as the two teams combined for 37 runs and 42 hits. “That was one for the books,” said Head Coach Bill Brown. “I’ve never seen that before.” JMU took a comfortable 12-2 lead into the bottom of the eighth inning before a 10-run frame knotted the contest at 12 apiece. Junior right fielder Shane Davis led off the inning with a single before senior catcher Josh Steinberg brought him home with a double to right-center field. Mason then loaded the bases for sophomore second baseman Brig Tison, who belted his first homerun of the season and closed the gap to 12-7. The Patriots scored another run and reloaded the bases on three walks and a hit by pitch when Steinberg stepped to the plate and crushed a fastball […]

   

• Sports in a minute: Postgame recaps and athletic news at Mason

  Sports March 29, 2010 at 12:58 pm Comments are Disabled

  By Brian T. Chan, Sports Editor and Cody Norman, Staff Writer Streak Snapped at Six Entering Tuesday afternoon’s contest against the Richmond Spiders, the George Mason University baseball team posted six consecutive victories dating back to their March 2 loss at the hands of the Spiders. A solo homerun from senior shortstop Ryan Soares followed by a two-out RBI single by senior third baseman Mark Hill gave the Patriots an early advantage, but a fourth-inning homerun off the bat of Billy Barber knotted the game at 2 apiece. Richmond took the lead for good. Phil Ruzbarsky led off the fifth inning with a solo homerun against sophomore pitcher Ryan Pfaeffle. Soares, sophomore center fielder Jeremy Haas, junior first baseman Dan Palumbo and senior designated hitter Josh Steinberg each recorded at least two hits for the Patriots, but the team stranded a total of 11 runners on base. Pfaeffle took the loss and fell to 1-3 on the season while Richmond’s Jared Bard picked up the win in relief, and Barber earned his third save of the season. Bison Stampede Over Patriots in Doubleheader The George Mason University softball team took the field against the Howard Bison on Wednesday afternoon for […]

   

• Powell's Playbook: Living in my own field of dreams

  Sports March 29, 2010 at 12:56 pm Comments are Disabled

  By John Powell, Asst. Sports Editor So baseball season is finally in full swing. And softball season is too for that matter. As much as I love sports in general, as well as George Mason University Patriots basketball, I have to say that baseball is my passion. I have been playing the sport since I was in fifth grade, since I saw my first baseball game. I went to Atlanta for a school competition and found myself in Turner Field, the home of the big league team, decked out in a new home Braves jersey and ready to learn about what would become my team. I brought the game back home with me and played on those teams that we all remember when there was no competition; we were all playing for fun. Then, I hit middle school and played for my high school’s junior varsity team, where I learned how to play third base. Aside from all the sexual jokes that come with playing baseball with a team of prepubescent teenagers (don’t worry, this is not “In Bed with Billy”), I loved the team. My best memories come from the game: the late-night workouts at the gym, the early-morning […]

   

• Mason athlete highlights: Luke Hancock

  Sports March 29, 2010 at 12:55 pm Comments are Disabled

  By Accaiya Evans, Broadside Correspondent As the regular season has come to an end, it is evident that freshman forward Luke Hancock has been a vital addition to the George Mason University men’s basketball team. After posting great numbers coming off the bench, Hancock looks to be a major force in the upcoming Colonial Athletic Association Tournament. Hancock played in all 32 games of the regular season and started in only three games. However, his sixth-man role play has been a great asset to the success of the Patriots conference play this season. Off the bench, Hancock leads the freshmen averaging 23 minutes per game, fifth highest on the team. Hancock was named one of the top 25 freshmen by Basketball Prospectus in January and earned his spot on the CAA All-Rookie Team. His contribution of 7.7 points and 3.5 rebounds per game has been the determining factor in the team’s margin of victory. Hancock achieved season highs with 15 points against the the George Washington Colonials in early December and grabbed nine rebounds in a game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the Puerto Rico Tip-off Tournament in November. With his great court vision, Hancock has been one […]

   

• Cardinals rule in four-set win: Mason falls to Ball State on Friday

  Sports March 25, 2010 at 10:47 am Comments are Disabled

  By Fernanda Bartels, Staff Writer The George Mason University’s men’s volleyball team lost its fifth consecutive match to the Ball State Cardinals in four sets (25-30, 30-27, 22-30, 23-30) last Friday. With the loss, the Patriots fall to a 4-11 overall record, as the Cardinals improve to 11-7. Mason fought until the end of every set, but the Ball State offense was playing its best game on Friday night. The Cardinals hit a season-best .340 and were led by Larry Wrather with 16 kills. Teammate J.D. Gasparovic hit .786 and chipped in 11 kills for the Cardinals. Although the Patriots were outhit by Ball State, freshman outside hitter Michael Kvidahl had a match-high of 21 kills. Sophomore middle blocker Lance Rogers was also a key hitter in the match with 10 kills and no errors in 14 attempts. Sophomore opposite hitter Andrew Dentler had the only double-double for the Patriots with 13 kills and a team-high of 12 digs. The match was filled with long rallies and great defense from both sides. Ball State had 60 total digs in the match, against 49 from the Patriots. Mason kept the score close in the beginning of every set, but the team […]