Walk-Off Grand Slam Downs Dragons 4-3 at George Mason

Saturday, April 23

Fairfax, Va.

12:00 p.m.

Drexel University

George Mason

Walk-Off Grand Slam Downs Dragons 4-3 at George Mason

4/23/2011 2:05:11 PM | Softball

Box Score Game 1
Box Score Game 2

Fairfax, Va. - Drexel (13-24, 5-10) came within an out of escaping Fairfax with a 2-1 series victory and a 3-0 shutout win in the series finale. But a walk-off grand slam home run by Kaila Conlon stole the game and the series for the Patriots (14-23, 4-10) with a 4-3 win. Paige Collings homered in the first inning to match the Dragons' single-season record for home runs, a mark that she set with eight last season.

Collings' towering blast got the Dragons on the board in a big way with a two-run blast to left field in the first inning.

Drexel added another run in the sixth inning on an RBI single by Kelly Downes that brought home Rachel Campbell who had singled to start the inning.

The Dragons had an opportunity to add an insurance run in the top of the seventh when Laura Stagliano reached on an error. The speedy Dragon sole second and took third when the throw from the catcher scooted through the second baseman and into centerfield. But with one out, and the team's two hottest hitters coming to the plate in Campbell and Collings, the Dragons failed to drive home Stagliano from third.

Rookie Shelby Taylor came within an out of her first complete-game shutout, throwing an excellent game through six and two-thirds innings. She limited the Patriots to just five hits heading into the last frame. But a walk a single up the middle and a hit batter loaded the bases.

It appeared that Taylor would escape the inning after throwing a fastball past Emily Laffterty for a swinging strikeout, the second out of the inning. Conlon turned on Taylor's third offering and hit, what appeared to be a long fly ball to left field. Comfort Ahonkhai appeared to have a read on the ball, tracking it toward the fence. But as she reached the warning track, the ball kept carrying and fell just beyond the fence for a game-ending home run.

Stephanie Maher picked up the win for the Patriots, pitching in relief of Kelsey Byrd. Maher threw a scoreless sixth and seventh inning and allowed just one hit and one walk.

The Dragons return to the field for a mid-week game against Villanova at home before hosting Delaware in a crucial CAA series next weekend.

Game One

Devon Metcalf tripled twice and drove in a run for Drexel (13-23, 5-9) runs in a 2-1 victory over George Mason (13-23, 3-10) in the opening game of Saturday's twinbill in Virginia. Metcal, a native of nearby Manassas, Va. Matched Drexel's single-game record with the twin three-base knocks. Hillary Allen threw a complete game to record her seventh victory of the season.

Allen scattered four hits and two walks through seven innings and struck out three batters and did not allow an earned run. Miranda Cranford took the loss for George Mason after allowing both earned runs on four hits and two walks. Stephanie Maher relieved Cranford in the fifth inning and did not allow a run in three innings of work.

Both Drexel runs came in the top of the fourth inning to break a scoreless tie. Jenn Reading knocked home the Dragons' first run when she placed a single in between infielders with pinch runner Amanda Bachmann at second base. Bachmann, running on contact, scampered home Metcalf followed Reading's fortuitous hit, but drilling a line-drive to right center and chasing Reading around the bases for a run-scoring triple.

George Mason's only run of the game came in the fifth when Metcalf couldn't handle a line drive with the infield playing in and runners on first and third.

Metcalf's pair of triples matches a record held by three other Dragons and was most recently accomplished by Elizabeth Fuller in 2005.