Drexel University
Delaware
Dragons Falter in Doubleheader Sweep by Delaware
4/10/2009 4:58:35 PM | Softball
Philadelphia – Delaware swept the CAA series opening softball doubleheader from the Dragons (20-13, 6-5 CAA) on Friday with a pair of tight victories. The Blue Hens capitalized on several fielding miscues to pull away for a 6-2 win in game one. In the nightcap, Amanda Stacevicz silenced the Drexel bats for a three-hit shutout in a 4-0 Delaware (17-14, 5-5 CAA) victory. The teams will be back in action on Saturday, April 11 at 11:00 a.m. for the series capper.
Game One
Sloppy fielding plagued the Dragons in the series opener against Delaware as the Blue Hens took advantage of five Drexel errors in a 6-2 victory. Ashley Botelho went 2-for-3 for the Dragons and Christina Rodriguez drove in both runs, but it was not enough to keep Drexel's seven-game winning streak alive.
Ann Marie Pagano got the complete-game victory for Delaware. She pitched seven innings, allowing two runs on seven hits and three walks while improving her season record to 10-6. Hillary Allen threw all seven innings for Drexel and allowed five earned runs on five hits and six walks. The loss dropped her to 9-5 on the season and snapped a six-game winning streak for the rookie pitcher.
Rodriguez gave Drexel a 2-0 lead in the first inning when she belted a double past a diving Shanette White to the wall in left field to bring home Lisa Williams and Ashley Botelho.
Delaware nearly got both runs back in the next inning when a pair of errors put Hens on first and second to start the inning. After a sacrifice moved the runners to second and third, a single by Rachel Jones to short left brought in one run. Allen walked the number eight hitter Amanda Nyisztor to load the bases with one out. But the Dragons' defense stiffened against the next two batters. Devon Metcalf scooped up a grounder at third and threw home for the force out, giving the Dragons two outs in the frame. Botelho showed off her strong throwing arm to pick Nyisztor off first base and end the inning with Drexel still on top 2-1.
The Blue Hens were able to draw even in the fourth when they again capitalized on Drexel fielding problems to make it a 2-2 game. Michelle Kenney drew was appeared to be an innocuous one-out walk to give the Hens a runner. But when Shanette White laid down a bunt to move her over, Botelho aggressively pounced on the ball and tried to make the throw to second. Her toss was just low and handcuffed Kristen Beaver, who was covering the bag. The ball also bounded past Williams, who was backing up the play in centerfield, and rolled to the wall allowing pinch runner Abbie Surosky to round the bases and score.
Allen nearly thwarted another Delaware rally in the fifth inning, but when she issued a walk to Michelle Kenny on a 3-2 count with two outs it opened the door for the Hens to score three in the inning and take a 5-2 lead. Shanette White drove in a pair of runs with a double to left center before Allen settled down to induce a ground ball of the bat of Rachel Jones. As Beaver crouched to field it White barreled into her in route to third base, resulting in a base runner interference call that curtailed the inning.
The control problems that plagued Allen all game again hurt her in the sixth inning. After a pair of walks and a sacrifice, Allen issued a wild pitch to Quinn Megargel that allowed one more run to come home, making it a 6-2 Delaware lead.
The Dragons took their best stab at a two-out rally in the bottom of the frame. But after Rodriguez drew a walk and Sandi Wambold singled to centerfield, Allen worked a 3-2 count before flying out to center to end the inning.
Game Two
Delaware starter Amanda Stacevicz threw a complete-game shutout in the Blue Hen's 4-0 victory in game two. The rookie hurler let up just three hits in seven innings without walking a batter. The win evened Delaware's record at 5-5 in CAA play.
Delaware struck first in the nightcap with a pair of runs in the second inning. Rachel Jones brought home one on a long single to center field and Amanda Nyisztor hit a sacrifice fly to center for the second run.
Senior Amanda Shattuck got the start for Drexel and lasted four innings before being pulled in favor of Hillary Allen with the bases loaded and no outs in the top of the fifth. Michelle Kenny hit a sacrifice fly to right field and the throw from Katy Harrington sailed wide and into Drexel's dugout allowing a second throw to score on the overthrow. The runs put Delaware on top 4-0 in the fifth inning. It would be all the offense necessary for Stacevicz, who held the Dragons off the board for the duration of the game.
Shattuck took the loss, dropping to 1-2 on the season, after allowing three earned runs on three hits and five walks in four innings of work. Allen did not allow a run in three innings of relief pitching.
The teams will complete the three-game series tomorrow with an 11:00 a.m. opening pitch at Drexel Field.
