Drexel University Athletics
Drexel University
La Salle
Dragons Pull Out 2-1 Win Over La Salle in Drexel Field Finale
4/29/2009 4:16:11 PM | Softball
Philadelphia – Drexel softball (23-19) wrapped up its home season with a tight 2-1 victory over crosstown rival La Salle (8-26). Hillary Allen picked up her 11th win of the season with a complete-game effort. She scattered eight hits and struckout five for the victory. The game also featured the return of Drexel alumns Brianne Brown and Molly Dacey to Drexel Field, Brown is now the head coach at La Salle and Dacey is an assistant.
Katy Harrington drove in the go-ahead run for Drexel in the fifth inning on a sacrifice fly to left field and Allen's arm made the lead hold up for the win.
Gina Massaro took the loss for La Salle despite a solid pitching performance and going 2-for-3 at the plate. Massaro worked five and one-third innings, let in two runs on six hits and struck out five Dragons.
La Salle got its lone run on a sacrifice fly by Mary Pat Conville in the third inning. The Explorers would have plenty of other scoring opportunities in the game, but failed to convert on any of them while stranding 10 runners on base.
Senior Lisa Williams gave the Dragon fans one more thrilling catch in centerfield in the fourth inning. Laura Gallager crushed an outside an Allen offering to straight away center with two outs. Williams tracked the ball and snared it on the run while crashing into the centerfield fence and held on to the ball as she tumbled to the ground.
Devon Metcalf broke up Massaro's no-hit bid with a bouncing single up the middle to lead off the fourth inning. But Botelho grounded into a double play to end the inning with the Dragons still scoreless.
The Dragons ground out a run of the own in the fifth inning when Sandi Wambold led off with a shot to left field. Erica Vile pulled down the ball, saving a sure home run, but failed to hold on for the catch. Pinch runner Cagey pinch runner Elena Fravel advanced on a ground out by Paige Collings and came in to score on a wild pitch by Massaro.
Christina Rodriguez and Kelly Downes kept the lineup moving with back-to-back singles. Pinch hitter Katy Harrington did her job by hitting a long fly ball to left field that scored Rodriguez from third base that gave Drexel a 2-1 lead.
Two seeing-eye singles by Williams and Botelho in the sixth inning ended Massaro's day on the mound. Relief pitcher D.J. Guinn entered the game with runners on first and second and one out and promptly induced a double play grounder to third base
La Salle mounted a rally in the top of the seventh when Alicia Dela Rosa led off with a single to the hole at shortstop. After a sacrifice bunt by Massaro moved her to second Mary Pat Conville stroked a single into left field. Dela Rosa held up coming around third thanks to a strong throw by Rodriguez to home plate, but Conville took second on the toss. Allen intentionally walked clean-up hitter Erica Vile to load the bases with two outs and then got Guinn to ground out to second base to end the game.
The Dragons will complete their 2009 schedule with a three-game series at Towson this weekend. Drexel opens on Friday, May 2 with a twinbill at 1:00 and finishes out the season with a single game on Sunday at 1:00 in Maryland.
