Drexel University Athletics
Drexel University
Delaware
Browns' Blasts Break Record, Beat Blue Hens in Softball Split
3/24/2007 4:13:35 PM | Softball
Philadelphia, Pa. – Senior Brianne Brown belted two home runs in the second game of Drexel's doubleheader against Delaware (5-11-1, 1-1 CAA). The pair of round-trippers matched the program's single-game record and gave her eight in her career, moving her into first place on Drexel's all-time career home runs list. Brown's four RBIs in the nightcap helped Drexel pull out a 5-4 victory and salvage a split in the Dragons' conference-opening double header. Delaware edged Drexel (5-4, 1-1 CAA) in game one 2-1 with Drexel's lone run coming on a solo shot by Lena Aiken, her second of the season.
Game One
Senior second baseman Lena Aiken celebrated her 22nd birthday by smacking her second home run of the season, a solo shot in the sixth inning. But Drexel's rally from a 2-0 deficit came up short in a tight 2-1 pitchers' duel. Freshman Breanna Gomez took the loss despite giving up just two runs in seven innings. She scattered five hits and struck out four Blue Hens while surrendering one walk. Carolynn Sloat improved to 3-5 on the season for Delaware after giving up one run on five hits in seven innings of work.
Drexel threatened in the first inning when Lisa Williams singled through the left side. The speedy centerfielder scampered around to third on a bunt pushed past the charging first baseman. But Molly Dacey drove an inside pitch to the warning track in left field for the final out.
Delaware got on the board first in the third inning when, with runners on second and third and one out, Shanette White lifted a fly ball to deep left field. Christina Rodriguez caught it and winged the ball to the infield as pinch runner Carolynn Sloat tagged on the fly out and scored. Michelle Plant also advanced from second base, but an appeal ruled that she left early which ended the inning with Delaware on top 1-0.
The Blue Hens put another on the board in the top of the fifth on an RBI single to right field by Michelle Plant, giving Delaware a 2-0 lead.
In the fifth inning Kristen Beaver drew a walk on a 3-2 count and Amanda Hastings singled to the hole at shortstop to give the Dragons a pair of runners with two outs. Williams, the Dragons' hottest hitter last week, got handcuffed on an inside pitch and hit a check-swing grounder to first base for the final out.
Aiken brought the Dragons back in the bottom of the sixth with her second blast of the season, taking an outside pitch over the right-center fence to make it a 2-1 game.
Sandi Wambold drove a screaming grounder up the middle of the infield with one out. Beaver sacrificed pinch runner Carla Waldron to second base bringing Hastings to bat with two outs in the bottom. After fighting off a series of outside pitches, Hastings pulled one to the right side. She sprinted down the line and dove head-first into the bag, but the throw from the second baseman narrowly beat her to first base to end the game.
Game Two
Brianne Brown went 2-for-2 with a pair of home runs and four of Drexel's five RBIs to lead Drexel in a come-from-behind 5-4 victory in game two. Her two launches matched Drexel's single-game mark set by Erin McKee in a game against UNC Wilmington on April 10, 2004. Freshman hurler Katrina Gaudier, the reigning CAA Rookie of the Week, picked up her third win of the season and also drove in the go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth inning on a single down the right field line.
The Dragons wasted no time in plating their first run after being held in check through most of game one. Williams drew a lead-off walk and came around to score on a sacrifice fly by Brown to put Drexel on top 1-0 in the first inning. Brown hit her record-tying shot in the third inning to give a 2-0 lead.
The Blue Hens got one back on a towering shot to right field by Katie Lee in the fourth inning. Delaware took the lead in the fifth inning courtesy of a three-run home run by clean-up hitter Kim Ovittore, giving the Blue Hens a 4-2 lead.
Brown answered Ovittore's homer with her second four-bagger of the game, matching Drexel's single-game record, setting a new career record and knotting the game at 4-4 in the fifth inning. Brown's record-breaking blast flew out to centerfield with Williams on second base.
Gaudier helped her own cause in the sixth inning when she took an outside pitch down the right field line to score Rodriguez from second to break the tie in Drexel's favor. The run-scoring hit bounced starter Samantha Shawn in favor of game one winner Carolynn Sloat. The reliever got out of the inning but the damage had been done, leaving Drexel on top 5-4.
After giving Drexel the lead, Gaudier returned to the pitching circle and retired Michelle Plant on a fly out to second base. Beaver made a full-extension diving catch ranging to her right at short stop on a liner by lead-off hitter Allison Borchers for the second out. Gaudier got pinch-hitter Mary Ann Magee, the Blue Hens' leading hitter, to hit a grounder back to her for the final out.
The third and final game of the CAA series is slated for tomorrow at 11:00 a.m.
