Elon Takes Two From Softball in Conference Opener Saturday

Saturday, March 26

Elon, N.C.

1:00

Drexel University

14-11, 0-1

Elon

15-14, 1-0

Drexel

Elon

Photo by: Ryan Samson

Elon Takes Two From Softball in Conference Opener Saturday

3/26/2016 6:26:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

ELON, N.C. – The Drexel softball team dropped two games to Elon to open their conference schedule on Saturday afternoon. The Dragons fell to the Phoenix, 8-4 in the first game of the day and then lost the second game, 15-7 after six innings.

Drexel got on the board first in the top of the first inning as Paula Ueno sent a double down the right field line to bring Lightfoot across the plate. Elon would retaliate and take the lead with two runs in the bottom of the inning, and then in the second they added another to make it a 3-1 game.

The Phoenix would hold this lead until the top of the fifth when the Dragons evened the score at 3-3 as Kristi Uyesaka singled to bring Okoniewski in from third and then two batters later Gabriela Kuroda drew a walk with the bases loaded to force in the tying run.

Elon broke things open again in the bottom of the fifth, however, when they tacked on five runs to go ahead 8-3. The Dragons would get a run back in the top of the sixth to make it 8-4, but it was not enough to overcome the deficit the Phoenix had created.

Elon's Abby Barker picked up the win in game one, while Taylor L. Lee was credited with the loss and moves to 5-4 on the season.

In game two, Elon came out strong with four runs in the first inning. The Phoenix added another run in the second and then tacked on four more in the third to take a 9-0 lead. The Dragons were able to get on the board in the fourth as they loaded the bases with one out. Jourdan Skirha sent a single to left field that brought Samantha Asbra across the plate to make it a 9-1 game.

The Phoenix posted two more runs in the bottom of the fourth to extend their advantage to a threatening 11-1.

In danger of being run-ruled in the fifth, the Dragons put together a six run inning to keep themselves alive. With two outs and a runners on first and third, Sharon Zamora got things started as she singled to left center to drive in Lightfoot and then Kuroda followed with single to right field that brought Ueno around to score. Skirha drove in the third run of the inning as she singled down the left field line, making it an 11-4 game and eliminated the threat of the mercy rule for the inning. After a pitching change, Jenelle Ladrido doubled to left field which allowed Kuroda to score. The Dragons tacked on two more runs as Skirha and Ladrido each scored on separate wild pitches, cutting the Phoenix's lead to 11-7.

Elon did not give the Dragons another opportunity to come back, however, as they added a run in the bottom of the fifth and then scored three more in the sixth to put the mercy rule back in play and walk away with a six-inning victory.

The Phoenix's Kiandra Mitchum picked up her second win of the season, while Tara Konopka moved to 5-5 on the year after being credited with the loss.

The Dragons move to 14-12 overall and 0-2 in CAA action. They will close the conference series with the Phoenix tomorrow with a game beginning at 1 p.m.