Softball Falls to IUPUI and Iowa State to Open Battle at the Beach

Friday, March 17

Fort Myers, Fla.

2:30

Drexel University

3-4

IUPUI

9-17

Drexel

IUPUI

Photo by: Ryan Samson

Softball Falls to IUPUI and Iowa State to Open Battle at the Beach

3/17/2017 9:01:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Drexel softball team fell to IUPUI and Iowa State on its first day of competition at the Battle at the Beach. The Dragons were edged by the Jaguars, 2-1 in their first game of the day before losing to the Cyclones by a 9-1 deficit in six innings.

The Dragons were the first to strike in the first inning of game one. Freshman Taylor Kent hit an infield single with one out to reach base. She stole second, and then was brought around the bases as Vanessa Lightfoot drove a ball up the middle for an RBI single.

Trailing the Dragons, 1-0 early, the Jaguars came out swinging as Alyssa Matson led off the bottom of the inning with a double to left field. She then advanced to third on a ground out to the right side and was able to cross the plate one batter later when Taylor Chitwood hit a sacrifice fly to center.

The Dragons and Jaguars remained knotted up at 1-1 into the bottom of the sixth, when IUPUI's lead-off batter Maggie Good broke the tie with a solo shot over the fence in left center. The Drexel defense was able to get out of the inning without further damage, but not before the Jaguars took a 2-1 lead.

Linda Rush hit a lead-off double to start the seventh, but it was not enough as the Jaguars followed with three quick outs to halt the Dragons and go on to victory.

The Dragons outhit the Jaguars, 6-4 in the losing effort. IUPUI's Erica Tharp picked up her fourth win of the season, while Tara Konopka was credited with the loss for Drexel.

In game two, the Dragons jumped out to an early lead again as Rush hit an RBI single that brought Baeley Reed around to score from second base. Drexel's lead was short-lived, however, as Iowa State retaliated with an unearned run in the top of the second to tie the game at 1-1.

The score remained even until the top of the fifth when the Cyclones posted four runs off of three hits and one error to break the game open. Leading the Dragons, 5-1, Iowa State added four more runs the next inning to go ahead 9-1 and would held off Drexel through the bottom of the sixth to put the run rule in place and walk away with the victory.

The Cyclones outhit the Dragons, 8-1. Iowa State's Savannah Sanders picked up her fourth win of the season, while Katie Haley was credited with the loss for Drexel.

Drexel moves to 3-5 on the season, while IUPUI improves to 9-17 and Iowa State improves to 14-16.

The Dragons return to action at the Battle at the Beach on Saturday morning when they will face Canisius at 10 a.m. Later in the day, Drexel will take on Cleveland State at 2:30 p.m.