Botelho Matches Drexel Career Hits Record in Split With James Madison

Saturday, May 1

Drexel Field

11:00 a.m.

Drexel University

James Madison

Botelho Matches Drexel Career Hits Record in Split With James Madison

5/1/2010 12:58:14 PM | Softball

Box Score Game One
Box Score Game Two

Philadelphia – Drexel split a pair of games against James Madison on Saturday in CAA play. Laura Stagliano's walk-off infield single Drexel (20-20, 8-9) an exciting 4-3 win in the opener, but the Dukes (19-31, 7-10) rebounded behind a two-hitter by Olivia McPherson to win game two 4-1. In the nightcap, Ashley Botelho matched Drexel's career hits record of 196 set by Kelli Griffth in 1993, she also blasted her sixth homer of the season in game one. The Dragons' game-one victory made Head Coach Kim Camara the second winningest softball coach all-time at Drexel.

Game One

Laura Stagliano legged out an infield single with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning as Ashley Botelho came home from third with the winning run in a dramatic 4-3 win for Drexel in game one. Stagliano and Botelho both had three hits in the game as the Dragons improved to 20-19 overall and 8-8 in CAA play. Botelho also smashed her sixth homer of the season in the victory. The win was Head Coach Kim Camara's 91st at Drexel, making her the Dragons' second winningest coach all-time.

Hillary Allen limited the Dukes to one earned run on five hits in the complete-game victory. She improved to 11-8 on the season.

Cara Stecher took the loss for James Madison after allowing four runs on 10 hits and two walks in six and two-thirds innings.

The bottom of Drexel's order came up big for the Dragons in the opening game. The Dragons' seven, eight and nine hitter combined to go 5-for-6 with two runs and two RBIs in the contest.

James Madison took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Katie Spitzer cracked a double to left center field and came around to score on an error.

Botelho quickly erased the Dukes' lead when she hit the first pitch she saw in the bottom of the inning over the left center field fence to knot the game. Laura Stagliano reached on a bunt single two batters later and after a walk by Rachel Campbell, Amanda Bachmann pounded a single into the ground in front of the plate. The ball bounced over the head of third baseman Haley Johnson to score Stagliano and give Drexel a 2-1 lead.

Rachel Campbell made two superlative running catches in right field to keep the Dukes off the board in the top of the fourth. In the bottom of the inning, Campbell was in the middle of the production of another run for the Dragons. Stagliano led off with an infield single hit to the hole at shortstop. Stagliano stole second and took third on a bunt single by Campbell. Kelly Downes laid down a perfect bunt while dodging an inside pitch to bring Stagliano home on a squeeze play and give the Dragons a 3-1 advantage.

The Dukes availed themselves of a throwing error by Allen that allowed Brittany Dyson to reach first on a bunt and take second on the wide throw. After an Allen strikeout of Lori Botkin, Ashley Burhnam singled through the left side to bring home Dyson and trim the Dragons' lead to 3-2 in the fifth inning.

Botelho's defense prevented another James Madison run from scoring in the sixth inning. With runners on second and third, Allen uncorked a pitch in the dirt. Botelho blocked the ball and quickly picked it up to throw out pinch runner Michelle Clohan at third base. To the Dragons chagrin, however, the Dukes would still manage to come up with the tying run when Kelly Downes struggled to field a bouncing grounder at second base that allowed Katie Spitzer to scamper home.

In the bottom of the seventh Botelho rapped her third hit of the game to the shortstop and Jenn Reading followed by pulling a double down the left field line. Pinch hitter Katie Harrington grounded out for the second out of the inning bringing Laura Stagliano to the plate. Stagliano hit a bouncing grounder to the left side of the infield and sprinted to first to beat out the throw and drive home the game-winning run.

Camara's 91st coaching win moves her ahead of Patty O'Neill on Drexel's all-time wins list. She trails only Carol Kashow (167 wins) in coaching vicories at Drexel.

Game Two

Oliva McPherson held the Dragons to just two hits in a 4-1 James Madison win in game two. Ashley Botelho went 1-for-3 in the game to tie Drexel's all-time record for hits. She matched the mark of 196 set by Kelli Griffith in 1993.

Drexel allowed James Madison to take a 3-0 led in the first inning on a slough of errors. When the dust settled the Dukes had plated three runs on just two hits and four miscues by the Drexel fielders.

The team settled down behind the pitching of senior Katrina Gaudier to keep James Madison off the scoreboard for the next four innings.

McPherson held Drexel hitless through the first three innings before Botelho punched her record-tying hit into right field.

The Dukes expanded their lead to 4-0 in the sixth inning on an RBI single by Ashley Burnham. Shannon Moxey dropped a single into center field to chase Gaudier from the game in favor of Shyann Beach. The Drexel reliever got Katie Spitzer to foul out to Botelho at first base with runners on first and second to end the inning.

Caprice DeMirjian did her best to rally the Dragons with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning. The shortstop belted a double that hit the base of the center field wall on the fly to score Laura Stagliano from second base. DeMirjian's hit gave Drexel its first run of the game. But Rachel Campbell struck out looking to end the game.

Gaudier took the loss despite pitching well through five and two-thirds innings. She allowed just one earned run on nine hits but fell victim to six Drexel errors in the field.

The teams will reprise on Sunday at 11:00 a.m. Seniors Katrina Gaudier, Ashley Botelho and Carla Waldron will be honored prior to the game as part of Senior Day proceedings at Drexel Field.