TOWSON, Md. – On what proved to be a very special on the campus of Towson University, the Tiger softball team split a doubleheader against Drexel. However, the day will be remembered for what happened before the games as Towson Athletics hosted a grand opening ceremony and ribbon cutting for the newly renovated Tiger Softball Stadium prior to the first pitch.

Over 700 fans were in attendance for the festivities and to root on the Tigers as they continue their push towards qualifying for the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Tournament. Dozens of former players and alumni were on hand, including former Tiger standout and Towson Athletics Hall of Famer Lisa Pollock, who threw out the ceremonial first pitch.

On the field, the Tigers won game one, 4-3, on a walk-off sacrifice fly off the bat of freshman Kendyl Scott. Drexel pulled out game two, 7-0, to salvage a split of the doubleheader.

Towson will enter Sunday's series finale against Drexel 30-19 overall and 7-10 in the CAA. The Dragons own an 18-20 mark overall and are just a half game behind the Tigers in the league standings with a 6-10 record in CAA play.

Senior Missy McCormick picked up the win in game one, throwing her 17^th complete game of the year. She allowed just three runs on seven hits while striking out seven batters to improve to 15-6 on the year.

Towson's offense staked McCormick to a 3-0 lead through the first four innings. In the third inning, the first three Tigers singled to load the bases, but only one run came in off a Scott sacrifice fly. Towson added to its lead in the fourth when sophomore Tateum Valentine blasted a two-run home run over the left field fence.

Leading 3-2 in the top of the seventh, McCormick looked to close it out. However, down to their last out, the Dragons tied the game when Sylvia Llamas homered to left.

The Tigers quickly threatened in the bottom of the seventh as freshman Daria Edwards led off the inning with a double down the left field line. After junior Olivia Yarbrough moved Edwards over to third with a sacrifice bunt, Scott hit a long fly ball to the warning track in center field that was plenty deep to plate the game winning run. It was Scott's second sacrifice fly of the game and allowed the Tigers to record their third straight walk-off win at home.

After scoring four runs off Drexel starter Taylor Lee in game one, the Tigers could not solve the sophomore right-hander in game two. Taylor threw a complete-game four-hitter while holding Towson off the scoreboard in the second game.

Tiger freshman Megan Dejter struggled in game two, allowing 15 hits and seven runs (six earned) in 6.2 innings of work.

The game two loss was Towson's first inside its new park (14-1) and snapped a six-game winning streak overall.

Sophomore Holiday Cahill led the Tigers with three hits in the doubleheader, while Scott and Valentine had two RBIs each.

The rubber game of the series between the Tigers and Dragons is set to start at 1 p.m. on Sunday.


-TowsonTigers.com-