GW Softball Stays Hot With Victory Over Howard

Thursday, March 19

WASHINGTON, DC - GW SOFTBALL FIELD

3:00 PM

George Washington University

13-8

HOWARD

6-17

Howard

George Washington

3/19/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

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March 19, 2015

Box Score

WASHINGTON - Three Colonials posted multiple-hit games to help the George Washington softball squad increase its win streak to eight on Thursday with a 9-3 win over cross-town rival Howard in the season's home opener at the GW Softball Field at the Mount Vernon Campus.

Howard (6-17) came out swinging, scoring two in the first frame with two hits and the help of two walks by freshman starter and reigning Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Week Sarah Costlow. The Colonials (13-8) answered back with a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning, after speedy sophomore Bradleigh Breland reached on a bunt single and quickly stole second. Breland then scored easily on a double to left center by senior Victoria Valos to cut the Bison lead in half.

Neither team would score again until GW tied up the game in the fourth. Junior Carlee Gray singled with one out and was relieved on the bases by freshman Alana Anderson. Senior Samantha Dos Santos singled to knock out Howard's starter before freshman Rochelle Draper worked a walk to load the bases. Sophomore pinch hitter Monica Macchiarulo hit a sacrifice fly to right field, allowing Anderson to score to tie the game at two apiece.

The Colonials took the lead in the fifth, posting four runs on two hits with the help of an error and a trio of wild pitches.

The Buff and Blue added some insurance in the sixth, beginning with a single by sophomore Megan Linn to extend her current hit streak to six games. Linn, who leads the Colonials with 14 stolen bases, swiped second and advanced to third on a Breland ground ball. A perfectly executed squeeze bunt by Valos plated the first run of the inning.

With the bases clean, junior Morgan Matetic smacked a booming triple to dead center and scored when sophomore Paige Kovalsky followed with a RBI single through the right side. The final run of the stanza came after Gray took one for the team with a hit by pitch to put runners on first and second for Dos Santos, who plated Kovalsky with a single.

Despite being down, 9-2, the Bison did not go out quietly in the seventh. With a runner on two, a pair of walks loaded the bases for Milan Poindexter, who laced a RBI single before the side was retired. Howard's loss snapped a four-game win streak.

Costlow (10-6) tossed her seventh complete game of the year, and owns a seven-game win streak of her own. The rookie is just three victories away from the highest total by a freshman in program history. Junior teammate Meghan Rico holds the record alongside Amanda Gabriel ('07-'09), who each notched 13 wins during their maiden campaigns.

Valos, Matetic and Dos Santos each had a pair of hits on the day, while eight different Colonials chipped in for GW's 11 hits against Howard. The Colonials' seven stolen bases as a team tied the season-high mark, and Linn, Valos and Dos Santos have now each reached base safely in the last 11 contests, dating back to Feb. 22.

The Colonials open Atlantic 10 play on Saturday as they head to Philadelphia to take on La Salle (1-6) for a three-game set. First pitch is slated for 2 p.m. at the Explorer's West Campus Field.