Drexel University Athletics
Drexel University
Georgia State
Dragons Close Out Season With Loss at Georgia State
5/4/2008 3:18:31 PM | Softball
Panthersville, Ga. – Drexel (27-20, 10-11) saw another lead slip through its clutches in the series finale against Georgia State (37-16, 14-5) on Sunday. The Dragons had a 3-0 lead through the third inning but the Panthers roared back to pull away for a 5-3 win. Reliever Alicia Mills shut down the Drexel bats for the second game in a row to earn the pitching victory. The loss dropped Drexel out of contention for the CAA Tournament as the team finished in fifth place in the conference for a second straight season.
Carla Waldron went 2-for-3 with an RBI double in the game, finishing the weekend series hitting a sizzling .600 from the plate. Molly Dacey went 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles that moved her into second place all-time at Drexel in two-base hits.
For the second time in as many games Drexel took an early lead over Georgia State, scoring once in the second inning and twice in the third to hold a 3-0 advantage over the Panthers. Carla Waldron, who has been one of the Dragons' hottest hitters in the weekend series, drove in the team's first run with a double in the second inning. Senior Amanda Hastings came through with an RBI single in the third inning and Ashley Botelho gave Drexel a 3-0 lead with a sacrifice fly to plate pinch runner Kelly Downes.
Georgia State worked its way back into the game with two runs in the bottom of the third on a two-RBI double by Lily Skelton. The Panthers would even the game at 3-3 in the fourth inning when Rachel Cunningham led off with a double and came around to score on a Rebecca Roles RBI single.
The Panthers seized their opportunity to pull ahead in the fifth inning. With runners on second and third, Lauren Jones drove a two-out single into right centerfield. The ball got past Hastings allowing a second run to score to give Georgia State a 5-3 lead.
The Dragons came close to breaking the tie in the sixth inning. Dacey ripped a lead-off double to left field, one of Drexel's first solid hits against reliever Alicia Mills, who held them off the board in four innings in relief in Saturday's game two. Two outs later, Waldron singled to give the Dragons runners on first and third. But pinch hitter Jessica Bongiovanni struck out to end the inning.
In the top of the seventh, the Dragons' last chance to come back, Christina Rodriguez singled up the middle to extend the inning and give senior Amanda Hastings one more at bat as a Dragon. But with two outs and facing one of the top pitchers in the conference this season, Hastings struck out to end the game.
Breanna Gomez took the loss after allowing the go-ahead run in two innings of work from the mound. Starter Katrina Gaudier, the Dragons' leader in pitching wins this season, lasted three innings and gave up three runs on four hits and three walks. Freshman Ellen Boundy, the conference leader in relief appearances, pitched a perfect sixth inning.
The loss capped a 2008 in which the Dragons won more games overall and in conference than any season in the last seven years. As a team, Drexel set single-season records for home runs and runs scored. Ashley Botelho and Sandi Wambold both set the team's single-season mark for home runs with seven apiece. Botelho set a new marks for RBIs and doubles in a season.. Christina Rodriguez matched Drexel's single-season record with 36 runs scored. Senior Molly Dacey set Drexel's career home run record, completing her tenure at Drexel with 14 home runs, she also finished second all-time in RBIs and doubles and seventh in hits. Amanda Hastings, who put together the best season of her four-year Drexel career as a senior finished fifth all-time in doubles, 11th in hits and hit the second most home runs in a single season at Drexel this year.
