Dragons Split Friday Twinbill at James Madison

Friday, May 6

Harrisonburg, Va.

1:00 p.m.

Drexel University

James Madison

Dragons Split Friday Twinbill at James Madison

5/6/2011 2:53:52 PM | Softball

Box Score Game 1
Box Score Game 2

Harrisonburg, Va. - Drexel and James Madison split a pair of 9-3 games to open play on the final CAA softball weekend of the season. The Dragons (15-27, 7-13) squelched the Dukes' chances of making the CAA Tournament with a win in the opener of the twinbill. But the home team came back for a win in the nightcap to improve to 28-23 on the season and 7-12 in CAA play. Paige Collings drove in four runs on the day and Hillary Allen threw a complete game in Drexel's win.

Game One

Trailing 3-2 in the sixth inning, Drexel took advantage of two Dukes' errors and strung together six straight hits in a seven-run inning that lifted the Dragons to victory.

Hanna Parrish went 3-for-3 with three runs scored from the lead-off spot in the lineup. Rachel Campbell and Paige Collings both had a pair of hits and drove in two runs. Hillary Allen got the complete-game victory after scattering 10 hits and two walks. She was not charged with an earned run in the effort.

James Madison's Olivia McPherson was tagged for all nine runs in five and two-thirds innings. She gave up 11 hits and three walks and struck out three batters.

The pivotal inning started innocuously enough with a walk issued to Katy Harrington. But six consecutive hits later, the Dragons took the lead. Devon Metcalf singled up the middle to drive in a run and made it all the way to third on an error. Parrish followed with an RBI single and two batters later, Campbell drove in another two runs with a hit to right field compounded by a throwing error on the right fielder. Collings added another run on an RBI ground out and Downes hit the very next pitch to center for an RBI single that put Drexel on top 9-3.

Drexel generated a run in the top of the first inning after a lead-off double by Hanna Parrish. Stagliano bunted her to third base and Allen squeezed her home on a sacrifice bunt.

The Dukes scored all three of their runs in the bottom of the first inning to grab a 3-1 lead. Chel'sea Ryan reached on an error by Jenn Reading at first base and came in to score on a single by Caitlin Sandy combined with an error by Rachel Campbell at second base.

Back to back doubles by Haley Johnson and Katie Spitzer plated two more runs in the inning before Allen induced a ground out by Jasmine Butler to escape the frame.

The victory was Drexel's first win over the Dukes in Harrisonburg, where the teams have played 13 times. James Madison was in need of a series sweep and a sweep by Towson over Delaware in order to make the CAA Tournament.

Game Two

Drexel took a 2-0 lead in the first inning, but quickly fell behind as the Dukes feasted on the Dragons' pitching in a 9-3 win in the nightcap. Paige Collings and Kelly Downes both had 2-for-4 games and Collings drove in a pair of runs to draw within six RBIs of the single-season record.

Shyann Beach got the start for Drexel but saw just two batters in the game. She walked the lead-off batter Ashley Burnham and was called for an illegal pitch, prompting Head Coach Kim Camara to pull her in favor of Shelby Taylor. Taylor would go on to allow six runs on seven hits and a walk over the next two innings and exit the game with the Dragons trailing 6-2. Allen relieved her in the third and closed out the game allowing three runs on seven hits and a walk.

Collings drove in two runs in the first inning with a single to left field with Parrish and Stagliano on base.

The Dukes got on the board in the second inning when Katie Spitzer led off with a double and took third on a single by Jasmine Butler. Taylor uncorked a wild pitch after a steal of second by Butler which allowed Spitzer to scamper home. The game was suspended at that point due to lightning and when it resumed, the Dukes' bats brought the thunder for the next two innings.

James Madison scored four runs in the third inning on back-to-back-to-back homers by Caitlen Manning, Haley Johnson and Katie Spitzer.

Jenn Reading served up Drexel's answer in the fourth inning when she took a 3-2 offering from Brittany Jeans over the wall in left center. Unfortunately it was not enough to jump start the Dragons' offense.

Katie Spitzer slammed the door on the Dragons in the fifth inning with a two-run shot, her second of the game and Lori Botkin gave the Dukes their final margin of victory with an RBI double.

Jeans earne the complete-game victory, allowing three runs on seven hits and three walks and striking out three batters.

The teams complete regular-season play on Saturday in a 3:00 p.m. game.