Softball Edged by UNCW in Saturday Doubleheader

Saturday, April 30

Drexel Softball Field

11:00 a.m.

Drexel University

19-30, 0

UNCW

28-19, 0

UNCW

Drexel

Photo by: Greg Carroccio

Softball Edged by UNCW in Saturday Doubleheader

4/30/2016 4:12:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

PHILADELPHIA - The Drexel softball team dropped two games to UNCW in a doubleheader on Senior Day on Saturday. The Dragons took the Seahawks to extra innings in the first game, but ultimately fell by a score of 5-2 after eight innings. In the second game of the day, the Seahawks defeated the Dragons, 7-2.

The first game remained scoreless into the fourth inning. UNCW was first to get on the board as Rachel Willis hit a solo home run over the fence in left center. In the bottom of the inning, however, the Dragons retaliated as Paula Ueno hit a lead-off single and then scored as Taylor M. Lee hit a two-run shot over the center field fence to give Drexel a 2-1 lead.

The Dragons would hold this advantage into the top of the seventh, but it was then that Merritt Wilkinson singled to the pitcher with the bases loaded to drive in the tying run. The Dragons were able to get out of the inning on a fly out to right field that turned into a double play as the runner at third left early and was called out to end the inning.

The Drexel offense was unable to score in the bottom of the seventh, so the game headed to extra innings. In the top of the eighth, Sarah Davis hit a three-run home run for the Seahawks that would ultimately give UNCW the extra-innings victory.

In the second game, the Dragons and Seahawks remained scoreless into the fifth inning. UNCW's first run crossed the plate off of a sacrifice fly from Hannah Adamczyk and then another scored on a deep fly out in foul territory. An inning later, the Seahawks would extend their advantage to 3-0 as an unearned run crossed the plate on a Drexel throwing error.

The Dragons were able to get two back in the bottom of the sixth as Ueno and Lee started off the inning with back-to-back singles. Vanessa Lightfoot came in to pinch run for Lee and then Kai Uyesaka laid down a sacrifice bunt that moved the runners up to second and third. Kimberly Chan came up to the plate next and grounded out to the secondbaseman to score one run and then a second run scored as Gabriela Kuroda reached on an error by UNCW's pitcher. The Dragons finished the sixth inning trailing the Seahawks, 3-2.

The Seahawks broke the game wide open, however, in the top of the seventh as Willis added her second home run of the day with two outs. Claudia Spinelli and Davis followed with back-to-back singles and then Lauren Moore hit a home run to center field that would add three more runs to the Seahawks' advantage. UNCW would go on to win by a final score of 7-2.

With the losses the Dragons move to 19-31 overall and 0-16 in conference play, while the Seahawks improve to 29-19, 8-8 CAA.

Drexel and UNCW return to action tomorrow as they will close out the series with a single game at Drexel Field beginning at 12 p.m.