Softball Splits Doubleheader at Rider

Tuesday, March 6

Lawrenceville, N.J.

2:00 p.m.

Drexel University

Rider

Photo by: Greg Carroccio

3/6/2012 6:23:00 PM | Softball

GAME ONE BOX SCORE
GAME TWO BOX SCORE

LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. - Playing its first non-tournament action of the spring, the Drexel softball team split a doubleheader at Rider on Tuesday, roaring back from a 2-0 defeat in the first game to take the second contest, 10-5. Paige Collings doubled, scored three runs and drove in two in the second game, in which the Dragons took a 10-0 lead before the host Broncs could get on the board.

Shelby Taylor got the victory for the Dragons in the second game, going 6.2 innings and allowing no runs on four hits while striking out five. She improved her record to 2-3. Hillary Allen pitched a four-hitter in the first game, but was the hard-luck loser as Drexel managed to scratch out just two hits of their own.

A couple well-timed big hits aided Rider in the first game, as Gina McCool doubled to lead off the fourth and scored two batters later on Sam Pugh's double. The Broncs added an insurance run in the fifth when Samantha Mayer got the inning started with a solo home run.

Drexel, meanwhile, could not get much going offensively against Rachael Matreale. The Dragons got three runners aboard in the second inning thanks to a walk, a hit batsman and a fielder's choice, but could not safely advance anyone past second base. The Dragons' first base hit did not come until the fifth inning, when Hanna Parrish beat out an infield single back up the middle that was gloved by Rider's second baseman, but too late to make a play. Devon Metcalf would add a clean base hit down the left field line in the sixth, but neither knock led to a scoring threat as Drexel was kept off the board.

The second game was a different story. Leading off the game, Parrish smoked a line drive to the gap in left-center. She hustled all the way around to third for a triple, and scored when Metcalf followed with a sacrifice fly to left. The Dragons added an unearned run in the second when Caprice DeMirjian singled and was granted second life when Rider's shortstop threw the ball away trying to start a double play. With Sylvia Llamas also safe on the play, the Dragons called for a double steal. Llamas took off for second and swiped the bag, with DeMIrjian taking off for the plate as soon as the throw went towards second. She sped home in time to beat the return throw, making it 2-0 Drexel.

The wheels began to come off for Rider in the third, when Drexel scored twice, once again aided by the second of four Rider miscues. Metcalf got the inning started with a walk, then after she stole second base, Paige Collings also drew a free pass. Once again, head coach Kim Camara opted to be aggressive, calling for the double steal. This time, the throw from behind the plate sailed into center field. Everyone was safe, and Metcalf was able to stroll home with the game's third run. After two more walks loaded the bases, DeMirjian plated Collings with a line drive base hit up the middle. Rider would escape the inning without further damage, but Drexel had a 4-0 lead.

In the fourth, Drexel blew the game wide open. Two errors led to two unearned runs, and the Dragons tacked on another run when Collings doubled and scored on an infield hit by Maggy Fermo. Drexel would tack on three more runs for good measure in the fifth, capped by a two-run single to left off the bat of Collings, who would later score the Dragons' tenth run.

The Dragons return to the diamond on Friday, when they open their third tournament of the spring at the War Eagle Classic on the campus of Auburn University. Drexel is slated to play Presbyterian, Auburn, Evansville and Louisiana Tech over three days before returning home to open their home schedule a week from Wednesday against Georgetown.