Softball Beaten at Penn in Back-and-Forth Game, 8-7

Wednesday, April 18

Philadelphia, Pa.

6:00 p.m.

Drexel University

Penn

Photo by: Greg Carroccio

Softball Beaten at Penn in Back-and-Forth Game, 8-7

4/18/2012 8:16:00 PM | Softball

BOX SCORE

PHILADELPHIA - A back-and-forth game went to the home team, as the Drexel softball team went down the street and fell at Penn, 8-7. Amanda Bachmann had two hits and drove in two for Drexel, which held an early 5-2 lead and a 7-6 lead in the sixth inning before falling.

Jessica O'Hara started and went 3.2 innings. Shelby Taylor came on in relief and was saddled with the loss, dropping her record to 9-9. Alexis Borden came on in relief for Penn, getting the victory.

Penn got on the board first, scoring twice in the bottom of the first. With O'Hara making just her second start of the season, Penn got to her quickly, getting four hits including a long two-run home run by Brooke Coloma. O'Hara induced a big double play ball, however, and got out of the inning without any further damage.

Drexel evened things up in the top of the second. Jenn Reading led off with a walk, moving up to second when Sylvia Llamas lined a base hit into right. After Amanda Bachmann walked to load the bases, Caprice DeMirjian chopped a ball to the left of Penn starter Mikenzie Voves, who came off the mound but could not glove it cleanly. Everyone was safe as Reading scampered home and DeMirjian sped into first. Comfort Ahonkhai then worked a walk in a great at-bat, forcing Llamas home with the tying run.

The Dragons took the lead on a bizarre play in the third. With one out, Jenn Reading doubled to right center. After Maddison Timoteo walked and Llamas singled to load the bases, Bachmann roped a base hit back through the middle to score Reading. The throw came in towards the plate, but Penn first baseman Karina Rios tried to cut the throw off, deflecting it into foul territory. Timoteo, who had stopped at third, took advantage of the misplay to come home, while Llamas moved to third. Rios retrieved the ball, but neglected to notice Llamas, who paused at third before noticing that no one had their eye on her. She then took off for home, scoring to make it 5-2 Drexel. Bachmann ended up at second on the play, which was scored as a single and one RBI for her, with two errors charged to Rios.

Penn went back on top with a four-run fourth inning. The Quakers took advantage of the Dragons' first error of the game, as the go-ahead run was unearned on a ground-rule double by Jessica Melendez that drove O'Hara from the game. Shelby Taylor was brought on to get the last out of the inning.

The Dragons quickly tied things back up in the fifth. Jenn Reading walked, and with Maggy Fermo pinch-running, Timoteo put down a sacrifice bunt to move her up a bag. Fermo moved to third on a groundout by Llamas, and Bachmann promptly smoked a slicing liner over the head of Penn's right fielder and all the way to the wall. Fermo trotted home as Bachmann raced around to third with a triple.

Taylor and the Dragons worked around a Penn threat in the bottom of the fifth, inducing a comeback to get the second out with runners at second and third. Taylor then got a strike out to end the inning. That proved crucial as Drexel scratched out a run in the top of the sixth off the newly-inserted Penn ace, Alexis Borden. Comfort Ahonkhai put down a perfect bunt down the third base line to get the inning started. She moved to third on a slow roller by Hanna Parrish, and got to third on a passed ball. With Paige Collings up and two out, the senior catcher laced a line drive single to the gap in left-center, scoring Ahonkhai to put Drexel back ahead, 7-6.

Penn scored twice in the bottom of the sixth, then set the Dragons down in order in the seventh to preserve the victory.

Drexel will be back on the diamond on Thursday, when they host Iona for a single game at the Drexel Softball Field. First pitch is set for 3:30 p.m.