April 15, 2010

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PHILADELPHIA - Gina Massaro hurled a complete game 3-hitter as the Explorers downed Drexel 4-1 in the first game of a doubleheader on Thursday. The Dragons took the nightcap, 3-1. With the split, the Explorers move to 11-19 overall while the Dragons are now 13-16.

In addition to her pitching performance, Massaro added a 2-for-3 outing at the plate. Mary Pat Conville pushed her season batting average to .375 with a 3-for-4 day at the plate, including a RBI and run scored.

The day was also a homecoming for Head Coach Brianne Brown and Graduate Assistant Coach Molly Dacey, as both are recent graduates of Drexel and still have former teammates playing for the Dragons. Brown held Drexel's career home run record when she graduated in 2007 before Dacey broke that a year later.

The Explorers opened the game with two runs on a two-run single by Erica Vile. Massaro led off the inning with a bunt single and then stole second during Conville's at-bat. Conville then knocked a single just past the shortstop, moving Massaro to third. Angelina Bisbiglia walked to load the bases before Vile's single to short that scored Massaro and Conville.

The Dragons' Ashley Botelho got the home team on the board in the bottom of the inning with a RBI double, but that was all the scoring the Dragons mustered in the game.

The Explorers added insurance runs in the fifth and sixth innings for the final 4-1 score. Liz Reed led off the fifth with a double to right center and Massaro followed up with a double to shortshop to advance Reed to third. One out later, Conville blasted the third two-base hit of the inning to score Reed.

Reed added a RBI in the sixth inning when her sacrifice fly scored Megan Codagnone, who was pinch running for Tristan Musho after Musho drew a walk.

Massaro earned the win, striking out nine Dragons and scattering just three hits. She also issued no walks on the day and faced just four batters over the minimum. Hillary Allen took the loss for the Dragons, also going all seven innings. She gave up four runs (all earned) on 10 hits, walked four and struck out three.

The Dragons got on the board first in the nightcap, scoring one run in the bottom of the second on a Caitlyn Gravenor RBI single, before the Explorers tied it up in the top of the fourth. Conville reached on a Dragon miscue and scored on a Bisbiglia double to center.

The home squad answered in the bottom of the frame and added an insurance run in the fifth for the final 3-1 score.

DJ Guinn and Laura Beth McCreesh split pitching duties. Guinn went four innings and took the loss. She gave up two runs (one earned) on four hits and issued two walks. McCreesh went two innings in relief, limiting the Dragons to one hit and giving up one run. She also fanned one and walked one. Katrina Gaudier went the distance for the Dragons, giving up one run on six hits and striking out three.

The Explorers return to West Campus Field for conference action on Sunday as they host Fordham in a noon doubleheader.