Softball Edges Delaware State in Home Finale, 3-2

Tuesday, April 23

Drexel Softball Field

2:00 p.m.

Drexel University

13-32, 0

Delaware State

15-29, 0

Delaware State

Drexel

Photo by: Greg Carroccio

Softball Edges Delaware State in Home Finale, 3-2

4/23/2013 4:19:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA - The Drexel softball team closed out its home slate on Tuesday afternoon with a 3-2 win over Delaware State, chipping away after the Hornets scored two runs in the top of the first inning and holding on during a tense seventh. Jess O'Hara had two hits and scored the game-winning run for the Dragons, while Tara Konopka struck out four and scattered eight hits over six innings of work to get the win. Shelby Taylor recorded her first save of the season.

Drexel (13-32) snapped a four-game losing skid with the victory. Delaware State (15-29) saw its losing streak extended to six games.

Delaware State got on the board first, scoring twice in the top of the first inning. The Hornets had just one hit to the outfield, a one-out single to left off the bat of Chloe Oro, who later scored. Nicole Gazzolla put down a bunt single to put runners on first and second, and after a walk loaded the bases with one out, Ashley Bennett hit a sacrifice fly to right that plated Oro. Moments later, a passed ball allowed Gazzolla to come home with an unearned run.

Drexel answered quickly. Hanna Parrish led of the Dragons' half of the first inning with a line drive over the head of Delaware State's shortstop and into left field for a single. After she stole second, Maggy Fermo walked, and Shelby Taylor pushed the duo each up a station with a sacrifice bunt. Maddison Timoteo then lofted a fly ball down the right field line. It drifted foul, but right fielder Sam Gross made the catch, and Parrish was able to race home with the Dragons' first run.

As Konopka settled down and kept Delaware State off the board, Drexel was able to knot things up in the third inning. Fermo led off, and was hit by a pitch on the first pitch she saw. After another Taylor sacrifice bunt, Timoteo ripped a double inside the third base bag and down into the corner, scoring Fermo easily.

The Dragons took the lead in the sixth on a bizarre play. Jess O'Hara reached third after a one-out single, a wild pitch and a deep fly ball to center field off the bat of Jill Popek. With two away, O'Hara on third and Konopka at the plate, Delaware State put on a trick play that nearly worked. The first pitch from Stephanie Sarris was high and outside, with catcher Sandy Hawthorne leaping up for what was, effectively, a pitch out. With O'Hara dancing down the line, Hawthorne faked a throw to third, and third baseman Jordan Stamps deked O'Hara by pretending the ball had gotten away. As she turned as if to run down the line after the ball, O'Hara initially broke for the plate. Upon realizing that Hawthorne still had the ball, though, O'Hara wheeled and dove back into third, with Hawthorne gunning the ball into Stamps behind her.

O'Hara likely would have beaten the throw anyway, but Hawthorne's toss was wide, and Stamps couldn't collect it. With shortstop Chloe Oro also selling the first, fake throw, the space between second and third was abandoned, and the ball trickled into shallow left field. O'Hara was able to get up and score relatively easily to hand Drexel its first lead of the day.

The top of the seventh was not without drama as well. With Shelby Taylor on to close the game out, Gazzolla reached on a throwing error to get the inning underway. After she was erased at second on a fielder's choice off the bat of Hawthorne, Bennett roped a double to left-center field, putting runners on second and third with one out.

Taylor got the second out when Miranda Pedersen fouled off a bunt attempt with two strikes. With the Hornets down to their last out, Taylor got Jennifer Fischbach to line out softly to Sylvia Llamas at third base.

Drexel will be back in action this weekend when it visits UNC Wilmington for a CAA series. The teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday and a single game on Sunday. Both days' action will get underway at noon.