Drexel University Athletics
Drexel University
James Madison
Dragons Surrender Sweep on Saturday at James Madison
4/18/2009 2:08:38 PM | Softball
Harrisonburg, Va. – Drexel lost a though 3-2 game on a seventh-inning RBI single to open its three-game series at James Madison. The Dukes (25-13, 5-8 CAA) used a dominant pitching performance by Jenny Clohan in game two to close out a 4-0 victory and a Saturday sweep of the Dragons (20-15, 6-7).
Game One
James Madison pulled out a 3-2 victory in game one on a two-out walk-off RBI double by Katie Spitzer. Drexel led twice in the nip-and-tuck game, but the Dukes answered twice and took their only lead of the game in the bottom of the seventh. Sandi Wambold and Rachel Campbell drove in Drexel's runs and Devon Metcalf went 2-for-3 from the lead-off spot for the Dragons.
Julia Dominguez knocked home the Dukes' first two runs, going 2-for-3 in the game, and Spitzer drew three walks in addition to coming up with the game-winning hit. Meredith Felts recorded the complete-game victory. She let up six hits, walked two and fanned nine batters over seven innings. Hillary Allen struggled with her control throughout the game, issuing seven walks in six and two-thirds innings to go with six hits. But the gritty freshman escaped several jams and struckout five batters to keep her team in the game throughout.
Drexel broke a scoreless tie in the third inning when Lisa Williams and Devon Metcalf strung together a pair of one-out singles. Senior Sandi Wambold stepped to the plate with two outs and stroked a single through the left side of the infield to plate Williams and give the Dragons a 1-0 lead.
The Dukes matched Drexel's run in their half of the third. A pair of walks came back to bite starter Hillary Allen when a two-out single by Julia Dominguez drove in the tying run.
In the sixth inning Drexel pulled ahead once again. The Dragons manufactured a run on a single by Ashley Botelho followed by a grounder up the middle by Christina Rodriguez. Pinch runner Caprice DeMirjian sprinted to third on the single setting up a sacrifice bunt by Rachel Campbell that gave the Dragons a 2-1 lead.
But the lead was short-lived as Dominguez again drove in the equalizer for the Dukes in the bottom of the frame. Allen settled herself after a walk and a wild pitch early in the inning to record a line out and fan the final batter of the inning and escape with the game tied at 2-2.
It appeared that Allen would thwart the Dukes again in the seventh inning when the Dragons erased lead runner Shannon Moxey when Courtney Simons grounded back to the pitcher for the second out of the inning. But Allen's seventh walk of the game pushed Simons to second base and brought Spitzer to the plate for the game-winning hit.
Game Two
The Dukes closed out an opening day sweep with a 4-0 victory in the nightcap on Saturday. Jenny Clohan pitched the complete-game shutout for James Madison. She allowed four hits and did not walk a batter in seven innings of work. The Dragons drop below .500 in CAA play for the first time all season with the loss and have now been on the low side of the scoreboard in their last four games.
Junior Katrina Gaudier, who has led the Dragons in pitching wins in each of the last two seasons, saw her first start on the mound since March 28. She allowed three earned runs on 10 hits and two walks through six innings. Devon Metcalf followed a solid performance in game one by going 1-for-3 with a steal of out of the leadoff spot.
The Dukes put two on the board in the third and added two more in the fifth inning. Chelsea Ryan went 2-for-3 with a triple and Ashley Burnham was 2-for-3 with an RBI double in the contest.
The teams finish out the CAA series tomorrow at noon from the JMU Softball Field.
