Softball Shut Out in Conference Opener, 4-0 By JMU

Saturday, March 24

Drexel Softball Field

4:00 p.m.

Drexel University

James Madison

Photo by: Greg Carroccio

Softball Shut Out in Conference Opener, 4-0 By JMU

3/24/2012 5:56:00 PM | Softball

BOX SCORE

PHILADELPHIA - The Drexel softball team was stymied in its effort to get a win in its first conference game of the season, as the Dragons opened up a three-game series with a 4-0 loss to James Madison at the Drexel Softball Field. The Dragons managed just two hits as the Dukes made two runs in the first and two more in the third stand up for the final margin.

Playing its first game in a week as the Dragons finished exam week, Drexel (9-12, 0-1) fell behind early, as the Dukes got a run on an RBI groundout and a second thanks to a delayed double steal in the first inning. Drexel starter Hillary Allen (5-6) went the distance, striking out two and giving up just six hits, but the Dragons could not provide any run support for the senior starter.

Leading off the second inning, Jenn Reading roped a drive to deep center field, getting over the head of James Madison's Jasmine Butler, who recovered quickly and was able to hold Reading to a single. She moved to second base on a groundout by Allen, but could get no further as she was stranded there. Devon Metcalf had a single to lead off the fourth and Allen reached on an error on a hard-hit grounder to third that the Dukes' Caitlin Sandy misplayed, but that was all the offense the Dragons could muster.

Ashley Burnham and Morgan Heath scored twice each for JMU. Burnham's slicing single to right scored Heath in the third, and Burnham would later score the game's final run on a sacrifice fly by Sandy.

Drexel and the Dukes will play a doubleheader on Sunday, as the two teams complete their three-game series to open conference play. First pitch for the first game is set for 11:00 a.m.