Collings Breaks Records as Softball Thumps La Salle, 10-2

Tuesday, April 10

Drexel Softball Field

3:00 p.m.

Drexel University

La Salle

Photo by: Ryan Samson

Collings Breaks Records as Softball Thumps La Salle, 10-2

4/10/2012 5:48:00 PM | Softball

BOX SCORE

PHILADELPHIA - It was a record day for the offensive leader of the Drexel softball team on Tuesday, as Paige Collings homered twice and drove in six runs to become the Drexel all-time leader in home runs and runs batted in. Her big day helped the Dragons handle local foe La Salle at the Drexel Softball Field, as they rolled, 10-2.

Collings, who went 3-for-4 and also scored two runs, now has 26 home runs and 111 runs batted in during her career. She eclipsed former teammate Ashley Botelho, who had 25 dingers and 108 runs batted in over the course of her career.

Drexel actually fell behind 1-0 early, as Dragon starter Shelby Taylor ceded an unearned run in the first inning without allowing a hit. In the bottom of the inning, though, the Dragons batted around, sending nine hitters to the plate and scoring three times. Hanna Parrish walked and scored on Collings' double to the gap in left-center field. Jenn Reading then doubled, but flex player Sylvia Llamas, who was inserted for Collings, had to hold up as Reading's high drive was nearly caught. She was only able to advance to third.

Maddison Timoteo hit a soft liner to shortstop, which was misplayed but was too shallow to allow either runner to advance. With the bases loaded, Amanda Bachmann laced a single through the middle to plate Llamas. Caprice DeMirjian followed with a line drive to right that brought Reading home, giving the Dragons a 3-1 lead.

La Salle got a run back on Shannon Skomorucha's home run to left-center field in the second, but the Dragons added two more in the bottom of the inning. With one out, Devon Metcalf beat out an infield single that was fielded by La Salle's second baseman near the second base bag. Up stepped Collings, who launched a no-doubter to left-center of her own, tying Botelho's records and giving Drexel a 5-2 advantage.

Drexel would add a run on an RBI triple from Parrish in the third inning. It was the sixth three-bagger of the year for Parrish, one shy of the program record.

From there, both teams were unable to push another run across until Drexel came to bat in the bottom of the sixth. Needing four runs to secure an eight-run-rule victory, the Dragons wasted little time trying to reach that goal. Parrish led off by slapping a single through the right side. Metcalf was next, ripping a ball right back at La Salle reliever Alyssa Bitsimis, who deflected it but could not get an out.

With two on and no one out, Collings came to the plate once again. She needed just one run batted in to break that record, but she claimed them both in one swing as she crushed a pitch to the deepest part of the ballpark, launching a three-run home run that made it 9-2.

After Collings' teammates greeted her at home plate, they got right back to work getting the all-important tenth run. Reading looped a single down the left-field line. Up stepped Timoteo, whose swinging bunt handcuffed La Salle first baseman. She threw it away, and Reading moved all the way around to third. After pinch hitter Jessica O'Hara was retired on a hard grounder, Bachmann lifted a deep fly ball to center field, plenty deep enough to score Reading from third and send Drexel home happy.

The Dragons will remain in Philadelphia on Thursday when they visit Saint Joseph's, the first of four road games within the city for Drexel. First pitch for that game is set for 3:00 p.m.