Collings Breaks Home Run Record, But Dragons Fall to Delaware in Twinbill

Saturday, April 30

Drexel Softball Field

12:00 p.m.

Drexel University

Delaware

Collings Breaks Home Run Record, But Dragons Fall to Delaware in Twinbill

4/30/2011 2:30:39 PM | Softball

Box Score Game One
Box Score Game Two

Philadelphia – Delaware (20-29, 9-7) closed out a doubleheader sweep over the Dragons with a 6-0 shutout in game two. Kathleen Conway threw a complete-game shutout, allowing three hits and striking out 10 batters. Kelly Downes had two of the Dragons' (13-26, 5-12) three hits in the game. Drexel fell in game one 6-5 despite home runs from Paige Collings, Kelly Downes and Devon Metcalf. Collings' homer set a new single-season record for Drexel. The teams close out the series on Sunday at noon. Seniors Katy Harrington, Kelly Downes, Ellen Boundy, Rachel Campbell and Laura Stagliano will be honored prior to the Senior Day contest.

Shelby Taylor took the loss for Drexel after allowing four runs in an inning and a third of work. She gave up four hits and walked one batter but was victimized by a pair of Delaware home runs in the first inning.

Shyann Beach worked effectively through three and one-third innings, allowing two runs on five hits and a walk. Hillary Allen threw the final two and a third innings and did not allow a hit or a run and issued just one walk.

Back-to-back home runs in the Delaware first inning gave the visitors a 4-0 lead early. Amanda Stacevicz, the winning pitcher in game one, cracked a three run shot to center field. Gina Knutson, the Hens' leading home run hitter, followed with a solo shot to the same place.

Lara Andrews tacked on an additional run for Delaware in the fourth inning with a two-out RBI single into short right field. The knock scored Jenny Richards from second base and put the Hens on top 5-0.

A sacrifice fly to deep center off the bat of Michelle Grap made it a 6-0 game and signaled the end for Beach. Hillary Allen, Drexel's game one starter, relieved her with a runner on first and two outs and retired the final batter of the inning, Bertie Lake, on a fly out to right field.

Conway held the Dragons to just one hit through six innings. But in the bottom of the seventh, Paige Collings did her best to reinvigorate the Drexel offense by smacking an outside pitch into right field for a two-out single. Kelly Downes followed with a hit to the same place. But Devon Metcalf fouled out to the first baseman to end the game.

Game Two

Philadelphia – Paige Collings broke the Dragons' single-season home run record with her ninth round-tripper of the season, but a seventh-inning rally fell short in a 6-5 Delaware (19-29, 8-8) victory in game one. Devon Metcalf and Kelly Downes also homered in the game for Drexel (13-25, 5-11).

Rachel Jones went 2-for-4 with two RBIs for Delaware and Amanda Stacevicz had two hits and got the pitching victory in relief for the Blue Hens. Stacevicz allowed two runs on four hits through six innings in relief of starter Hannah Rust.

Shyann Beach took the loss for Drexel after being tagged with the go-ahead run in the sixth inning. She threw two outs in relief of starter Hillary Allen. Allen went five and a third innings, allowing five runs, three earned, on seven hits and four walks.

A fielding miscue by Rachel Campbell at second base in the first inning cost the Dragons a pair of runs. Allen got herself into a jam with a walk and a hit batter to load the bases with one out and the Blue Hens' clean-up hitter coming up. But she nearly got herself out of it by striking out Gina Knutson on an off-speed pitch outside and inducing a ground ball off the bat of Rachel Jones. Campbell slid over toward the middle of the infield to pick up the ball but it caromed out of her glove and into the outfield, allowing the Blue Hens to score two runs.

Campbell quickly redeemed herself in the bottom of the frame by sparking a two-out rally that put the Dragons ahead 3-2. She doubled to right center and Allen followed with an RBI single. On the very next pitch Collings smashed a towering home run to left field to put the Dragons on top and set a new single-season home run mark at Drexel.

Allen was forced to pitch around another bases-loaded one-out jam in the third inning after issuing a pair of walks and surrendering a bloop single to Rachel Jones. Fortunately for the Dragons she was able to get a short pop off the bat of Michelle Grap that was played into a force out at home by Campbell. She got pinch hitter Brittany Noons swinging to escape the inning with three Blue Hens stranded on base.

In the top of the fourth Amanda Stacevicz tied the game with a two-out double roped to right centerfield with runners on first and second. Gina Knutson followed with a cue-shot to shortstop that gave her enough time to beat out an infield single and drive home the go-ahead run. Stagliano tracked down a tracer off the bat of Rachel Jones for the final out of the inning. The senior also made an excellent diving catch for the first out of the inning to give her team a lift defensively.

Senior Kelly Downes offered Drexel's response in the bottom of the frame when she sent a 2-2 pitch aver the wall in center field for her second homer of the season. The solo shot knotted the game at four runs apiece.

A one-out double by Michelle McKinnon in the top of the sixth chased Allen from the pitching circle in favor of Shyann Beach. The reliever got Lara Andrews to ground out before intentionally walking clean-up hitter Stacevicz and also issuing a pass to Gina Knutzon to load the bases with two outs. She worked a 2-2 count before surrendering a grounder to Jones that found its way through the middle of the Drexel infield for a two-RBI single.

Shelby Taylor relieved Beach in the seventh inning and retired the Hens in order to give her team a chance to rally.

Devon Metcalf availed herself of that opportunity by crushing a line-drive homer run to left center field to draw the game within a run at 6-5. Comfort Ahonkhai and Hanna Parrish showed their speed with a pair of bunt singles. Stagliano nearly came up with the tying hit but a diving catch by Lara Andrews in centerfield saved a run for the Blue Hens. A fly out to right field by Campbell ended the rally and the game with Delaware holding on for the win.