Drexel University Athletics
Drexel University
Saint Joseph's
Dragons Pull Out a Narrow Victory Over Philadelphia Rival Saint Joseph's
4/8/2008 4:59:26 PM | Softball
Philadelphia, Pa. – Drexel held on for a tight 3-2 victory over crosstown rival Saint Joseph's. The victory was the Dragons' 20th of the season, as the team reached the benchmark for the first time since 2001. Seniors Molly Dacey and Amanda Hastings supplied the power for the team, each contributing a home run to account for all of Drexel's offense in the close game. Ellen Boundy picked up her fifth victory of the season and Breanna Gomez pitched two and two thirds innings in relief to earn her first save of the season.
Molly Dacey continued to swing a big bat for the Dragons. After swatting her 12th career homer, which is the most ever for a Dragon, against Delaware over the weekend, the senior slugger put Drexel on top in the second inning when she hooked a Lauren Cognigni offering around the foul pole in left field.
Dacey's classmate Amanda Hastings gave the Dragons a three-run cushion when she drilled a homer to right field with Gaudier on first to put Drexel on top 3-0. The round-tripper chased starter Lauren Cognigni in favor of Lauren Pemberton.
Drexel's defense made the slim margin hold up through four innings. Shortstop Kristen Beaver flashed the leather in the top of the third when she sprinted down a foul pop in short left field near to make a diving catch. Dacey made the most of a rare start behind the plate, throwing out Rebeka Shumock attempting to steal second to end the inning.
Saint Joseph's worked its way back into the game in the fourth inning when Lauren Cardone reached on a bunt single and sprinted around to third on an errant throw by Botelho at third base. Erika Rosenwinkel smacked a double through a drawn-in infield to plate the Hawks' first run. Boundy got the next batter to ground out to second base. Kelcey Moir flew out to left field and Brooke Darreff tagged and sprinted toward home from third base. But Rodriguez unleashed a rope from left field, hitting Dacey behind the plate on the fly in time to tag out Darreff and end the inning without further damage.
The Hawks got another back when Boundy surrender a solo shot to Sarah Falk after getting ahead of her on an 0-2 count. The homer made it a 3-2 game in the fifth inning. Sophomore Breanna Gomez relieved Boundy with one out. She walked the first batter she faced. The next batter, Erika Shumock, reached on a throwing error by Sandi Wambold on a nicely placed bunt. Gomez helped herself out when she fielded a grounder by Dana Bieniek grounder and quickly wheeled and threw it to third base to catch the runner on a tag out for the second out of the inning. After walking Laura Cardone to load the bases she got Rosenwinkel to pop out to second base to get out of the inning.
Hastings helped her pitcher out in both ends of the sixth inning. She ended the Hawks' half of the sixth with a full-extension diving catch of a fly ball that nearly dropped into short right field. She promptly led off the bottom of the sixth with a single to center field to get the inning started for the Dragons.
Drexel's defense came through behind Gomez again in the seventh as Rodriguez ran down a gaper in the top of the seventh for the first out of the inning. Gomez fanned Rebeka Shumock for the second out and got Bieneik to pop to short right field. Hastings sprinted in but came up short this time. She made a difficult play to block the ball, keeping it in front of her and hold Bieneik on first base. Pinch hitter Maggie Prisinzano struck out looking to end the game.
Boundy improved to 5-1 on the season after allowing two runs in four and a third innings of work. She scattered four hits, walked one and struckout one in the win. Gomez worked two and two thirds innings without allowing a run to earn the save. The Dragons' two home runs in the game gave them 28 on the season, matching the club's single-season record which was set last year.
The Dragons are back in action this weekend when they host James Madison for a three-game conference series starting with a doubleheader on Saturday, April 12. Opening pitch on Saturday and Sunday is set for 11:00 a.m. at Drexel Field.
