Softball Splits Double Header with James Madison

Saturday, April 12

Drexel Softball Field

11:00 a.m.

Drexel University

15-15, 0

James Madison

28-13, 0

James Madison

Drexel

Photo by: Ryan Samson

Softball Splits Double Header with James Madison

4/12/2014 3:49:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

PHILADELPHIA – The Drexel softball team split Saturday's doubleheader with James Madison after earning a 7-6 come-from-behind win in the first game of the day and then falling to the Dukes, 7-3 in the second.

Drexel struck first in the bottom of the second of game one, as Karli Boyer reached base by sending a single down the left field line. Jennie Himler pinch ran for Boyer and took second on a passed ball. Three batters later, Baeley Reed singled to left field to bring Himler home for the Dragons' first run of the day.

The Dukes tied the game in the top of the fourth as pitcher Jailyn Ford sent a solo shot over the fence in right-center field. Shelby Taylor was able to limit the damage by forcing a fly-out and picking up a strike out to end the inning.

In the top of the fifth, however, James Madison broke the game open by adding three runs to take a 4-1 lead. The Dukes continued their scoring effort in the top of the seventh, adding two more runs to gain a 6-1 advantage.

Trailing by five runs, the Dragons went into the seventh looking to rally. Leticia Matsuoka led off and sent a long fly ball to center field but it was tracked down by the Dukes' defense. Vanessa Lightfoot came up next and reached base on an error by the shortstop. Taylor came to the plate with one on and one out and sent a ball over the center field fence to make it a 6-3 game. Ashley Panetta reached on an error by James Madison's third baseman and then advanced to third as Liana Newton doubled to right field. Maddison Timoteo followed with a single to drive in Panetta and decrease James Madison's lead to 6-4. The Dukes picked up their second out of the inning as pitcher Heather Kiefer got Reed to strike out swinging.

The Dragons rally was not done yet, though, as Comfort Ahonkhai sent a hard-hit ball back to the pitcher for a single to bring Newton across the plate. Jourdan Skirha came up next and hit the ball up the middle to advance the runners to second and third. Matsuoka came to the plate again to hit a double that drove in both Timoteo and Ahonkhai and gave the Dragons a 7-6 victory.

In the second game of the day the Dukes got on the board early, scoring a run as Niki Prince hit a double to left center and then was brought around the bases on two ground-outs. The Dragons tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the second when Ellen Scott sent a single to left field with runners on second and third.

The game remained tied until the top of the fourth, when James Madison added two more runs off another home run from Ford and an RBI double from Madyson Moran. The Dukes scored another in the top of the fifth on a sacrifice fly hit to left field and then added three more runs in the top of the sixth.

Looking for redemption yet again, the Dragons came out swinging in the bottom sixth. Taylor reached on an error and then advanced to second as Boyer singled to center field. With Himler pinch running for Boyer, Newton hit an infield single to advance the runners to second and third. Timoteo came to the plate next with the bases loaded and was hit by a pitch to force in a run and make it a 7-2 game. Panetta came on to pinch run for Timoteo and was moved over to second as Reed singled through the right side, scoring Himler. The Dukes were able to get out of the inning by getting the lead runner out at home on the next ball in play and then forcing a foul out.

Despite the late effort, Drexel was unable to come back in the seventh, which gave James Madison its 30th win of the season.

The Dragons and the Dukes return to action tomorrow for the final game of the series at Drexel Field. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.