Dragons Close Out Season With 4-2 Loss at James Madison

Saturday, May 7

Harrisonburg, Va.

3:00 p.m.

Drexel University

James Madison

Dragons Close Out Season With 4-2 Loss at James Madison

5/7/2011 5:02:12 PM | Softball

Box Score

Harrisonburg, Va. - Drexel softball came up just short in its final game of the 2011 season, falling to James Madison 4-2 on the road. Paige Collings went 3-for-3 in the game and Laura Stagliano closed out her Drexel career with a 2-for-4 game with two stolen bases. Senior Rachel Campbell finished the best statistical season of her career with a 1-for-3 performance with an RBI. The Dragons end the season with 15-27 overall record and a 7-14 mark in CAA play. While the Dukes took two of three games in the series, Drexel did succeed in denying the home team a bid in the CAA Tournament. James Madison finished the year with a 28-23 overall mark and an 8-12 record in conference play.

Hillary Allen took the loss for Drexel, dropping to 11-11 for the season. She allowed four earned runs on eight hits and five walks while striking out one batter.

Olivia McPherson and Brittany Jeans teamed up to hold the Dragons to a pair of runs. McPherson was charged with one earned run on seven hits through five innings. Jeans came in to pitch a scoreless sixth and seventh, allowing just one hit while picking up her second save of the season.

After an RBI single by Chel'sea Ryan gave James Madison a 1-0 lead in the second, Campbell came through for the Dragons with an RBI hit once again, to even the game at 1-1 in the top of the third inning.

The Dukes pulled back ahead in the fourth inning when a throwing error on Collings allowed a run to score. Caitlen Manning followed with a sacrifice fly to put James Madison on top 3-1.

Drexel attempted to rally in the sixth inning when Allen drew a lead-off walk and Collings followed with a single to left field. Jeans relieved McPherson at that point and gave up a fly ball to Kelly Downes that allowed pinch runner Comfort Ahonkhai to take third base. Ahonkhai attempted to score on a grounder by Katy Harrington but was thrown out at home. Collings would eventually score on a wild pitch to draw the game within a run at 3-2, but Jenn Reading poped out to first base to end the inning.

The two-run margin was quickly restored by the Dukes in the bottom of the frame on a Jasmine Butler single with runners on first and third.

The Dragons went down in order in the seventh inning on a ground out by Devon Metcalf and a pop up by pinch hitter Amanda Bachmann. Laura Stagliano singled to left field and tried to stretch it into a double but was thrown out at second base to end the game and the Dragons' 2011 season.