After such great success in doubleheaders this season, the Drexel University softball team had a decent chance to defeat their next opponents, Delaware State University and Elon University. They also were set to have a doubleheader against Wagner College, but it was canceled due to inclement weather.
Up first was Delaware State, who struggled this season. They went into the first game with a 6-24 record, and it didn’t get much better for them from there. The biggest news of the series was junior Linda Rush, who hit her 17th home run of the season, beating fellow teammate, sophomore Kristi DiMeo’s record of 16 last season. However, DiMeo may be close to taking back the crown, as she also had 16 home runs going into the game.
The second inning of game one is where Drexel exploded, scoring four runs off Rush and DiMeo doubles. Junior Hannah Walker had a two-run double of her own in the fourth inning, leading to an 11-1 win for the Dragons.
In game two, Drexel spread their offense out, with sophomores Reilly Jo Swanson and Megan Trivelpiece, as well as Walker all recording a three-hit game. The Dragons broke out in the third inning, where senior Jenelle Ladrido’s triple brought in Swanson and Walker. Ladrido herself came home afterward with a single from junior Mari Gardner. With a bases-loaded walk in the fourth and Rush’s record-breaking home run, the Dragons rounded out the series with a 9-3 win.
Next up was a three-game series against Elon University, with the stand-alone game first. In this game, the Dragons devastatingly lost a seven-run lead. To get there, Drexel showed off its powerful offense. DiMeo tied the record that Rush just secured in the first inning with a two-run homer. Walker also had one of her own, making the lead 4-0. With a couple of hits in the next two innings, Drexel was up comfortably, 9-2. Two solo home-runs by Elon in the fifth inning closed the gap slightly, but four additional home runs by Elon in the seventh inning blew Drexel’s lead away to give Elon the win, 13-10.
In the first game of the doubleheader, Drexel took advantage of poor pitching, scoring four runs on as many walks by pitcher Hailey Jomp. Rush broke the tie with DiMeo in the second inning with a grand slam, making that her 18th home run of the season. Walker added her fourth home run in the third inning to capture a 15-4 win, making sure they wouldn’t lose another lead so large.
However, the second game was not the same case. Elon was the first score with a grand slam in the third inning to give them a 4-0 lead. Freshman Sarah Clinton scored her fifth home run of the season to cut their lead to two. A groundout and error tied the game up at four.
With such a close game, Drexel looked to get the lead and win, but that honor was disappointingly given to Elon. A home run in the sixth inning game gave Elon the lead and a 5-4 win.
Quick to redeem themselves during their game April 25, Drexel got a smashing 8-0 win against the University of Pennsylvania, getting cut short by run-rule.