Drexel University Athletics
Drexel University
Rutgers
Gomez Hurls Drexel Past Big East Foe Rutgers, 7-2
3/10/2007 1:17:35 PM | Softball
Philadelphia, Pa. - Freshman Breanna Gomez held Rutgers (4-11) hitless through five and one-third inning and picked up her first career victory after allowing two runs on two knocks and striking out five Scarlet Knights in a 7-2 Drexel (2-3) victory in the Dragons' home opener.
Brianne Brown and Lisa Williams both went deep for the Dragons who scored in every inning of the contest. Brown finished the game 3-for-3 from the plate with two RBIs and Williams went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and she also scored three runs.
Drexel jumped all over the Rutgers pitching in the first inning. Williams singled and stole second. Ashley Botelho brought her home with an RBI single through the left side. Dacey singled to load the bases with one out. The Scarlet Knights got out of the inning on a fielder's choice ground out and a strikeout by Katrina Gaudier.
Williams connected with a fastball for a two-run shot in the second inning that bounced starter Nicole Williams with one out, giving Drexel a 3-0 lead. Gomez retired Rutgers in order in the third and fourth inning and cruised through the Scarlet Knight lineup till the fifth inning.
Brown's solo shot in the fifth off of relief pitcher Nicole Lindley gave Drexel a solid 6-0 lead. The blast to straight-away centerfield also moved Brown into a tie for second place on Drexel's all-time home run list with Jonnae McClain.
The freshman hurler was touched up on a home run to right-center by Kaitlyn Valiante after yielding a double to Kristin Madoch for the Scarlet Knights' first hit of the game.
Lena Aiken got one of the runs back for Gomez and the Dragons in the sixth with an RBI-single pulled into left field that scored Katrina Gaudier from second base. Gomez sat down the Scarlet Knights in order in the top of the seventh to secure her first career win.
Gomez allowed two runs on two hits and struck out seven in the victory. Nicole Freeman took the loss for Rutgers after leeting up three runs on five hits in an inning and a third from the circle. Drexel knocked out 15 hits in the contest, led by Brown's three-hit day. Carla Waldron and Lena Aiken both went 2-for-2 with an RBI apiece. The victory was Drexel's third all-time against Rutgers.
Drexel's next opponent is the University of the Sciences - Philadelphia. The Dragons host a double-dip with University City neighbor USP on Monday, March 12 at 3:00 p.m.
