TOWSON, Md. ? Shannon Johnston won her 20th game of the season as the Tigers closed out the regular season with a 9-1 win over Drexel on senior day, Saturday afternoon in Colonial Athletic Association play. The Tigers (32-20, 13-8) closed out the regular season by winning two of three against the Dragons (24-21, 7-13 CAA). 

Johnston ties the school record for single-season victories and becomes just the second 20-game winner in school history. Johnston will look to break that record next week as she leads the Tigers into the CAA Championship.

“I am glad to see us close out on such a positive note,” said Coach Lisa Costello. “Now we need to build on this and carry it into next week.”

The Tigers wasted little time in getting on the scoreboard, going to work in the bottom of the first. Kim Lempa led off with a single and moved to second on a wild pitch. Emily Gould hit into a fielders' choice but an error on the play allowed Lempa to score. A walk and a hit batter allowed the Tigers to load the bases but Drexel got the first out of the inning. Joyce Delp drew a walk to force in a run before the Dragons got the second out. Meaghan Clark was hit by a pitch and the ball got away from the catcher to allow another run to score. Andrea Stevenson then singled down the left field line to score two runs and give Towson a 5-0 lead. Towson got its final run of the inning on Gould's RBI single.

Towson added to its lead in the second as Mindy Bean singled, stole second and scored on Stef Streets' base hit. Streets would later score on a wild pitch in the inning.

Drexel got one of those runs back in the top of the fourth. Lisa Williams drew a walk and moved to third on a groundout and a wild pitch. After the Tigers got the second out Paige Collings broke up the no-hit bit with a single to center field scoring Williams.

Streets put the final touch on the scoring as she drilled a home run to center field leading off the bottom of the fourth.

Gould and Streets finished with two hits apiece in the contest. Gould had an RBI while Streets knocked in two and scored three. Bean scored two runs while Stevenson drove in two. The Tigers honored the seniors Gould, Ebner and Jocelyn Hall prior to the game.

Johnston threw the first four innings allowing one run on one hit while striking out four. Kelly Ebner threw the final inning for the Tigers and did not allow a hit. Amanda Shattuck took the loss for Drexel as she gave up six runs in 0.2 innings of work. Hillary Allen allowed three runs in 3.1 innings of relief work.

The Tigers return to action on Wednesday, May 6 when the CAA Championship begins. As the three seed, the Tigers will face the second seed, Georgia State at 3:30 p.m.

-- TIGERS --