Drexel University Athletics
Drexel University
James Madison
Dacey Knocks 100th Hit But Dragons Fall to James Madison, 7-4
4/22/2007 3:45:03 PM | Softball
Harrisonburg, Va. - Molly Dacey's fourth-inning single made her the 22th player in Drexel history to reach the 100-hit plateau. The milestone was bittersweet by game's end, however, when a seventh-inning Drexel (15-14, 6-8 CAA) rally stalled out and the Dragons dropped their third game to James Madison (31-14, 11-3 CAA), 7-4.
Freshman Ashely Botelho came through for the Dragons as the clean-up hitter, smacking her third home run of the season en route to a 2-for-4 day at the plate. Carla Waldron also went 2-for-4 with an RBI while making her first start in left field for the Dragons.
Drexel scored two runs in the top of the ninth to trim what had been a 7-2 Dukes lead to thee runs. The Dragons plated their runs on an error by James Madison's right fielder who had just entered the game in place of Jenny Clohan who took over pitching duties from starter Braden Moss with two outs and the bases loaded. After letting up the two unearned runs, Clohan got Sandi Wambold to pop out, ending the game. The win extended James Madison's program-best winning streak to 12 games.
Moss registered the win for James Madison, throwing all but the final out of the seven-inning affair and allowing two earned runs on eight hits and a walk. Katrina Gaudier took the loss after surrendering seven runs in five and one-third innings of work. She allowed nine hits, struck out one and walked four batters.
The Dragons were within striking distance for the majority of the contest. Drexel plated a run in the second on Botelho's solo home run and one in the fifth on an RBI single by Waldron to make it a 3-2 game. A four-run sixth inning gave James Madison the decisive lead. Clohan gave the Dukes three runs on a bases-loaded RBI double in the big inning. Shattuck relieved Gaudier after the three-run knock and allowed a fourth run on a sacrifice fly before working her way out of the bases-loaded jam.
Despite losing the series, Drexel did manage to put runs on the board against the CAA's top pitching team. The Dragons scored 10 runs in the series which is more than any other CAA team has gotten off the Dukes this season. The series loss drops Drexel into sixth place in the CAA standings, just behind Towson and Georgia State who closed out their weekend series with wins on Sunday.
Drexel is back in action on Wednesday with a doubleheader at Philadelphia rival La Salle.
