Softball Splits with JMU as Allen, Reading Lead the Way

Sunday, March 25

Drexel Softball Field

11:00 a.m.

Drexel University

James Madison

Photo by: Greg Carroccio

Softball Splits with JMU as Allen, Reading Lead the Way

3/25/2012 6:06:00 PM | Softball

GAME ONE BOX SCORE
GAME TWO BOX SCORE

PHILADELPHIA - The Drexel softball team split a doubleheader against James Madison on Sunday, winning the first game 6-0 for its first conference victory before dropping the second, 9-8. Jenn Reading homered twice in the victory, while Hillary Allen went the distance for the shutout victory. Shelby Taylor took the loss in the second game, although Allen came in with one out in the second inning and slammed the door, allowing just one run over the last 5.2 of the contest and allowing the Dragons to nearly pull off a dramatic comeback.

After being shut out in the series opener on Saturday, Drexel wasted little time getting on the board in the first game. Hanna Parrish led off the first inning by slicing a single towards the line in left field. Devon Metcalf put down a perfect sacrifice bunt, one that allowed the speedy Parrish to go all the way around to third base. Paige Collings then followed with a hard-hit RBI single through the left side of the infield. Moments later, Jenn Reading crushed her team-leading fourth home run to the opposite field, a line shot that cleared the fence in right-center to give Drexel a quick 3-0 lead.

That would prove to be more than enough for Allen, who allowed a two-out infield single in the third and no more hits until the sixth. In that inning, Jasmine Butler lead off with a sharp single through the left side of the infield. With the Dukes' best hitter, Ashley Burnham, up next, Allen painted the corners to a 2-2 count, then hit the outside corner for a called strike three. Madison coach Katie Flynn came out to argue the call and was immediately ejected. Although the Dukes did have runners on second and third with two outs before the inning, Allen was able to work out of trouble, getting Caitlin Sandy to line out on a soft liner to Sylvia Llamas at second.

Drexel put the game out of reach in the bottom of the sixth. Reading led things off, hitting a soaring fly ball straight down the line in right field, dropping over the fence for her fifth home run of the year, her first multi-home run game of the season. After Heather Kiefer, who had shut down the Dragons after coming in as a reliever in the second inning, got two outs, Caprice DeMirjian started a two-out rally by beating out an infield single to shortstop. Llamas then smashed a grounder through the right side for a single, and Comfort Ahonkhai beat out a bunt single to load the bases.

Hanna Parrish drove in the fifth run with a line drive that dropped in front of the Dukes' left fielder Morgan Heath. Drexel got its sixth run when Devon Metcalf worked the count from 1-2 to 3-2, eventually drawing a walk to score Llamas.

Allen put together her second-straight strong effort against the Dukes, and her second complete-game shutout of the year. She struck out two and gave up just three hits, stranding six Dukes. The game ended when she started a 1-6-3 double play to get the final two outs of the seventh inning.

Game Two did not have such a strong start for the Dragons, as James Madison scored five runs in the first inning, including three unearned runs. They had four singles and a walk, combined with an error on a would-be fielder's choice groundout by Burnham. The Dukes added three more runs in the second, two more of which were unearned. Unfortunately, the miscues ended up contributing to starter Shelby Taylor ending her day early after just 1.1 innings, as Allen was brought back in to get out of the inning.

The Dragons kept the game going when they pushed a run across in the bottom of the fourth. Llamas was hit by a pitch to lead the inning off. After Allen singled, Ahonkhai put down a perfect bunt, just in front of the plate, which she beat out to load the bases. Parrish then brought Llamas in with an RBI groundout to second. They did the same in the sixth, when with two outs and no one on, Comfort Ahonkhai smoked a single back through the middle. Hanna Parrish followed with a single, moving Ahonkhai up to third. Devon Metcalf then hit a grounder back to Sarah Mooney in the circle. The pitcher couldn't handle the boucing ball, and everyone was safe as Ahonkhai came home.

Drexel made things very interesting in the seventh. After a leadoff walk to Jenn Reading, Maddison Timoteo roped a line drive to the wall in right-center, pulling into second with a standup double. Llamas followed with a grounder to third that Caitlin Sandy let go through her legs, scoring Reading as everyone was safe. Allen drew a walk to load the bases, and Caprice DeMirjian laced a single through the right side to score Timoteo. With no one out and Drexel trailing by five, Mooney, who had gone the distance to that point, was lifted in favor of Cara Stecher in the circle for James Madison.

The inning did not stop there, though. Ahonkhai hit a chopper through the middle, scoring Llamas and keeping the bases loaded. Parrish then ripped a grounder up the middle, scoring two runs and moving Ahonkhai around to third. There was still no one out when Devon Metcalf lifted a fly ball to short right field. Anna Klumpp made a diving catch for the first out, but Ahonkhai came home on the sac fly. Drexel could manage nothing more, however, falling by a single run.

Drexel returns to action on Wednesday, when they host Bucknell for a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.