DeLand, Fla. -- One bad hop single. That was all that stood between freshman Tori Perkins and just the second 7-inning perfect game in Stetson softball history.
Perkins retired 21 of the 22 batters she faced, and Jessica Griffin squeezed home Molly Shasteen with the only run of the game as Stetson shutout George Mason 1-0 Saturday afternoon at Patricia Wilson Field.
The Hatters (19-10) won their third game in a row and improved to 2-0 in this weekend's Stetson Classic.
Perkins was dominant from start to finish, walking none, striking out three, and getting 12 ground ball outs. The only Patriots batter to reach base was Heather Ferguson, whose fifth inning grounder took an unusual bounce past second baseman Jessie TenBroeck.
"Tori was outstanding," Stetson head coach Frank Griffin said. "She was one bad hop away from a perfect game. I told her it was perfect in my book. She just got ahead every batter and stayed that way. When she missed, she just missed by a small amount. She just had a great, great day."
Perkins (4-1), who also won Friday night's game in relief, threw 96 pitches en route to her first career shutout.
"She was lights out today," catcher Jessica Griffin said. "She was just hitting her spots like crazy. Any time a pitcher can do that, she is going to get the job done. She did great today, and I was really happy for her."
The Hatters played small ball to perfection in the bottom of the fifth. Shasteen led off with a bunt single down the third base line. She then stole second and moved to third on Kelsey Waters' sacrifice bunt. With a count of no balls and one strike, Jessica Griffin laid down a perfect squeeze bunt to score Shasteen and give the Hatters the lead.
"You have to do what you have to do to score a run," Frank Griffin said. "I felt like they were weak on the bunt coverage and we took advantage of it. We had good bunters up at the time. Jess was at the plate with a runner at third. She is an excellent bunter in a squeeze situation."
The Hatters had three stolen bases, two sacrifice bunts, and two bunt singles for the game.
"We are just a whole different team this year, and we are finally realizing that," Jessica Griffin said. "We realize that in order to use our speed and get the speed around the bases, we have to get the bunts down, we have to get the little base hits."
George Mason (8-9) starter Marina Vitalich held Stetson to just one run on four hits, creating an entertaining pitcher's duel.
"I thought their pitcher pitched an outstanding game," Frank Griffin said. "It was just a good ball game. I am glad we came out on top."
The win moved Stetson to 9-3 in one-run games this year, three of which have come by 1-0 scores.
The Hatters will host UT Martin at noon on Sunday.
Notes: The Hatters won their 50th consecutive game when leading after five innings ... Jazz Vasquez picked up her first hit of the year ... Jessie TenBroeck had her lengthy 24-game reached base streak come to an end ... Brittany Hawn is four assists shy of 400 ... Stetson's last seven-inning, one-hit shutout was thrown by Courtney Brandt on March 26, 2012 vs. UNF ... Stetson's only seven-inning perfect game was thrown by Shannon Dowdy on Mar.25, 1993.
