Saint Joseph's Edges Drexel 2-1 in Pitchers Duel

Wednesday, April 14

Drexel Field

3:00 p.m.

Drexel University

Saint Joseph's

Botelho became the first Drexel player ever to reach the 100-RBI mark.

Saint Joseph's Edges Drexel 2-1 in Pitchers Duel

4/14/2010 5:21:51 PM | Softball

Box Score

Philadelphia - Saint Josephs (18-12) came out on top of Drexel (12-15) 2-1 in bizarrely concluded softball game on Wednesday. The Hawks' starter Erin Gallagher pitched eight strong innings and allowed one run on two hits while striking out 13 Dragons. Ashley Botelho accounted for Drexel's lone run when she met a Gallagher fastball with a crushing swing and sent it well beyond the center field fence for her fifth homer of the year. With the round-tripper Botelho became the first player in Drexel history with 100 career runs batted in.

In a well-pitched contest that saw just two runs scored through eight innings, the winning run appropriately was not scored on a hit. With the game tied 1-1 in the bottom of the ninth inning, Saint Joseph's had runners on first and third with two outs. Following a play made at third base on a bunt, shortstop Hanna Parrish, who was covering the bag on the play, threw the ball back to pitcher Hillary Allen. Unfortunately for the Dragons, the ball tipped off of Allen's glove as she reached back to catch it and trickled away toward the first base line as Rochelle Christman scampered home from third base to give her team the victory.

Drexel starter Ellen Boundy kept the Hawks at bay through five and a third innings. She allowed one run on three this and four walks and struck out one. Hillary Allen incurred the loss without giving up an earned run. She let up two hits in two and two-thirds innings and struck out one batter, dropping her record to 7-6 on the season.

Reliever Taryn Ashway was the beneficiary of the unorthodox play, earning the victory after pitching just one inning. She allowed two hits in her frame, but escaped without Drexel scoring a run.

Saint Joseph's also used a bit of trickery to obtain their first run in the sixth inning. With runners on first and second and two outs the Hawks used a delayed steal from third base after a throw down to second by Botelho. The runner at third, Laura Cardone was able to slide in just before the relay throw and Botelho's tag could reach her, giving hte Hawks a 1-0 lead.

Botelho responded with her centerfield solo blast in the seventh inning to square the game and send it into extra innings.

Botelho gave Drexel a chance to take the lead in extra innings when she drove a ball to the gap for a single in the top of the ninth inning to give the Dragons runners on first and second with no outs. But Caprice DeMirjian and Devon Metcalf struck out looking before Ashway got Laura Stagliano to ground out to end the inning.

The contest was a home game for Saint Joseph's although it was played at Drexel Field as the Hawks await the completion of a new on-campus facility and are without a regular home field this season.

Drexel gets right back into the thick of things with a doubleheader against fellow city rival La Salle at 3:00 tomorrow.