Softball Drops Two Against CAA Leader Hofstra

Saturday, April 28

Drexel Field

11:00 a.m.

Drexel University

Hofstra

Botelho went 2-for-3 with a double and a homer in game one

Softball Drops Two Against CAA Leader Hofstra

4/28/2007 4:40:47 PM | Softball

Box Score Game One

Box Score Game Two

Philadelphia, Pa. – Freshman Ashley Botelho had a double and a home run against the CAA's top pitcher Kayleigh Lotti, but Botelho's bat was one of the only ones producing hits against conference leader Hofstra (32-13, 13-3 CAA) as the Dragons (16-17, 6-10 CAA) fell 4-1 in game one and 10-2 in the nightcap of the CAA doubleheader.

Game One

Ashley Botelho and Christina Rodriguez were the only Dragon to figure out Hofstra pitcher Kayleigh Lotti, who fanned a career-high 15 batters in a 4-1 Hofstra victory in game one. Botelho got two of Drexel's three knocks off the CAA's top hurler, a double in the second inning and a home run in the seventh.

Trailing 4-1 in the final inning, the Dragons tried to work some more two-out last-inning magic as Christina Rodriguez smacked a double to right field and Sandi Wambold worked a 3-2 count before striking out to end the game.

The Dragons fell behind early on a two-out RBI double by Ashley Lane just over the glove of a sprinting Lisa Williams in left center field.

Hofstra took advantage of a pair of Drexel miscues to put two more on the board in the second inning. The Pride showed their good team speed as Melissa Hodge went from first to third on a past ball and came in on a sacrifice fly by Michele DePasquale. Erika Bernstein followed with a bunt single that turned into an in-the-park home run on a high throw by Molly Dacey that rolled down the right field line.

The Dragons got their first hit in the fourth as a first-pitch-swinging Botelho stroked a double to right centerfield with two outs. Drexel's defense negated another run-scoring opportunity for Hofstra in the fifth. The speedster Bernstein led off with a bunt single but was caught stealing in the second after a swinging strikeout by Casey Fee.

Hofstra added an insurance run in the seventh when Genevieve Haney was hit by a pitch. Pinch runner Kristine Root stole second and scored on a single by Fee to make it 4-0.

Katrina Gaudier held the Pride's bats in check for much of the game and allowed just two earned runs in seven innings. She scattered six hits and also struck out as many batters while walking just one. Lotti, who added a career high 15 strikeouts to her conference-leading total, gave up one run on three hits in seven innings and also walked one while improving to 15-4 on the season.

Game Two

Sandi Wambold ripped her third homer of the season over the fence in left field, but it was not enough to spark a Drexel rally in the sixth inning. The Pride scored five runs in its half of the sixth to invoke the eight-run rule in a 10-2 Hofstra victory in game two. Botelho hit her second double of the day off of Hofstra reliever, and high school teammate, Courtney Oliver in the third inning.

Drexel got to Lotti with its first hit earlier in game two, as Brianne Brown cranked a single off of third baseman, and high school teammate, Genevieve Haney. Lena Aiken, who reached on an error by shortstop Pam Dreslinski advanced to second with one out. But Botelho, the Dragons' top hitter from game one struck out and Dacey grounded to first to end the inning.

Haney exacted her revenge in the top of the second in the form of an RBI single to centerfield, giving Hofstra a 1-0 lead early.

Gaudier struggled with the strike zone in the third, walking the bases loaded before a sacrifice fly by Hodge brought in the runner from third. A charging Amanda Hastings made the catch in right field but was injured making the play. Amanda Shattuck relieved Gaudier, allowing her to take Hastings post in right. Shattuck promptly struck out reigning CAA Rookie of the Week Michele DePasquale to end the inning and strand two runners on base.

Lotti also struggled with her control in the third she walked Aiken and Brown to bring Botelho to the plate with runners on first and second and two outs. Brown's walk was the 68th of her career making her the Courtney Oliver relieved Lotti, to face her Colye and Cassidy High School teammate Botelho. Botelho won the battle, driving a 2-2 pitch to deep right center field to plate Aiken from second with an RBI double.

In the fourth Hofstra led off with a single to center and loaded the bases on a pair of bunt singles. Carolann Lubach lined a double to left center that scored all three runners, giving Hofstra a 5-1 lead. Shattuck settled down to fan Dreslinski and induce a foul fly out by Oliver to end the inning.

Rodriguez provided some excitement in the bottom of the fourth when she walked and stole second. Shattuck bunted her over to third and Gaudier stung a ball to left field, but Melissa Hodge tracked it down for the ender.

In the fifth Williams worked a 3-2 count and fouled off three pitches before drawing a lead-off walk. Aiken also put together a long at bat before striking out. Oliver hit Brown to put runners on first and second for Botelho, who put a charge into the ball but only drove it to the warning track for the second out. Dacey struck out to end the inning.

Hofstra pulled away in the sixth when Casey Fee scampered in from third on a high pitch that got away from Botelho behind home plate. Dreslinski and Olive followed with back-to-back singles to bring in Ashley Lane. Melissa Hodge sliced a ball down the right field line that went for a triple past a diving Gaudier. She scored when a grounder off the bat of Michele DePasquale got under the glove of Brown at third base making it a 10-1 game.

Fighting to keep the game alive, Wambold homered over the left centerfield fence. Pinch hitter Carla Waldron nearly legged out an infield hit, but came just spikes short of reaching base. Gaudier popped up to the catcher to end the game. Gaudier also took her second loss of the day after allowing two runs in the first two and two-thirds innings before being called to action in right field. Oliver pitched three and one-third innings in relief to get the win. She allowed one run on two hits and two walks and fanned three.

Drexel is back in action tomorrow for game three of the series. Opening pitch is set for 11:00 a.m. Seniors Brianne Brown and Lena Aiken will be honored during Senior Day ceremonies just before the start of the game.