SHELBY, N.C,- Leading by a slim 3-2 margin, Leticia Matsuoka's two run home run in the top of the seventh inning broke the game open and sent Drexel to the 5-2 victory on Sunday afternoon at Crest High School.
With the win, Drexel improves to 3-5 overall for the season, while Gardner-Webb falls to 5-10.
Taylor Lee was excellent on the mound for the Dragons, as the sophomore tossed a complete game, allowing just five hits and struck out six, to earn her second victory of the season.
Summer Darnell got the starting nod from Head Coach Tom Cole, and after a scoreless first inning, allowed two runs in the second, before she was replaced by Ashley Wark. Wark allowed seven hits over five strong innings, allowing just one earned run.
After a scoreless first inning, Alyssa Williamson walked to start the second, and advanced to third base when Matsuoka roped a double down the right field line. Kim Chan singled home the game's first run, and Gabriela Kuroda and Kiana Moreno followed Chan with consecutive RBI's, and Drexel would jump out to a 3-0 lead after two innings of play.
Drexel continued to hold a two run advantage until the bottom of the fourth. After Rachel Cumiskey flew out to right field for the first out of the inning, Scarlett Harris hit a bloop right over the infield, and the second baseman for the Dragons made a valiant diving effort for the ball, but it glanced off her glove, and Harris wound up at third base. Savannah Burns struck out swinging for the second out of the inning, and Brenna Blakley drew a walk, as the Runnin' Bulldogs had runners on first and third with two outs. Megan Champion and Amanda Gomes had consecutive RBI singles and Gardner-Webb would trail by just one after the fourth inning.
Paula Ueno grounded out to lead off the seventh and Williamson struck out, but reached first base on a throwing error by Gomes. It looked like the Runnin' Bulldogs might get out of the inning trailing by just one, but Matsuoka rocketed a two- run shot over the right field fence to send Drexel to the 5-2 victory.
The Runnin' Bulldogs return to action on Wednesday, when they travel to N.C. A&T for a doubleheader at 1:00 p.m.
