Collings' Two-Run Shot Wins it For Drexel Over College of Charleston in Extra Innings

Friday, February 25

Charleston, S.C.

8:00 p.m.

Drexel University

College of Charleston

Collings' Two-Run Shot Wins it For Drexel Over College of Charleston in Extra Innings

2/25/2011 10:46:53 PM | Softball

Box Score

Charleston, S.C. – Paige Collings completed her big day at the College of Charleston Cougar Classic with a game-winning two-run homer in the eighth inning to give the Dragons a thrilling 4-2 victory over the Cougars (6-4). The Drexel win snapped a five game winning streak by the host team and gave the Dragons a 2-0 start on day one at the Cougar Classic. Collings recorded her 100th career hit in a 3-for-4 performance against Marist in the first game of the day.

Hillary Allen threw all eight innings for the Dragons to pick up her first victory of the season. She allowed two earned runs on eight hits and a walk and struck out a season-high eight batters.

Coming off an 11-run explosion against Marist, the Dragons took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning thanks to a lead-off double and steal by Rachel Campbell and an RBI groundout by Jenn Reading.

The Cougars evened the game on an RBI groundout by leading hitter Amanda Lonergan in the bottom of the fifth.

Drexel availed itself of back-to-back singles by Reading and Collings to manufacture a run in the top of the sixth. After the pair of hits to start the inning, Allen moved them along with a ground out to first base. After a Kelly Downes strikeout, Katy Harrington hit a grounder to second base that was mishandled allowing the Dragons to take a 2-1 lead.

The home team squared the game once again in the bottom of the sixth inning when the number three and four batters came up with two-out singles. Carly Corthell singled to center to bring home the tying run but the trail runner was cut down trying to go from first to third, ending the inning.

Drexel's final effort to end the game in regulation was thwarted after a Rachel Campbell walk when Laura Stagliano hit into an inning-ending double play.

Allen retired the side in order on a pop out, a strikeout and a ground out to send the game into extra frames with the score knotted at 2-2.

With the international tie-breaker rule in effect, Laura Stagliano started the eighth inning on second base. Reading laid down a bunt to move her to third base. But the small-ball quickly became irrelevant when Collings stepped to the plate and crunched her second homer of the year to put the Dragons ahead 4-2.

In the bottom of the frame Lonergan took second for the Cougars to start the inning. Allen induced a ground out without an advance to start the inning. She plunked the next batter before fanning the number seven hitter for the second out. Kelcey Hodgson singled to load the bases with two outs. But Hillary Stringer lined out to end the game with the bases full of Cougars.

Alexa Datko started the game for Charleston and went two and a third innings, allowing one run on three hits and a walk. Stephanie Saylors relieved her in third inning and threw effectively through the final five and two thirds, allowing one earned run on three hits and two walks while striking out five.

The Dragons close out play at the Cougar Classic tomorrow by facing two formidable opponents in Liberty and Iowa State.